Swapping The Cage
by Rathanel
Summary: Konoha wakes up one morning to find that the Naruto they knew is gone. But the replacement claims he's Naruto too, and they can't be that different... right?
1. The Big Surprise

**A/N: This story is a "spin-off" of The Empty Cage. Reading TEC is not required to understand what's happening in this story, but it would probably help considerably.**

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><p>One moment Kuushou was "resting" in his room at the Yamanaka residence, his body sleeping while he planned and practiced. The next he experienced a sensation disturbingly similar to what the Death God had done to him during the sealing, only even more intense and abrupt.<p>

The moment his senses cleared, he became aware of a most unpleasant feeling. His bed – normally quite warm and comfortable – was stiff, lumpy, and rather cool. A faint but incredibly foul odor assaulted his senses, equal parts mold, mildew, rancid food, and decomposing garbage.

Thirty minutes later he had established several facts. First, he was not in the Yamanaka Residence. Instead he was in an apartment in what looked to be the slums, and a quick look out the window had determined the source of at least part of the foul odor as an overly full dumpster located directly below.

Second, his container had changed overnight, the body no longer the finely tuned machine he had crafted through years of concerted effort. It was still clearly the same person, he noted, but the muscles were pathetic compared to his former state, and he was nearly six inches shorter than he was used to being.

Third, the calendar – which conveniently had the days crossed out as they passed – indicated that today was _"Graduation Day! This time for sure, believe it!"_ Whoever had written this scrawl had nearly gouged through the paper in their haste but still managed to be legible, if barely.

Fourth, this was not a genjutsu of any sort, much as he might wish otherwise; or, if it was, then it was one crafted by Kami himself for reasons unknown. He could find no flaws or inconsistencies in his senses and his youki continued to course through his container's body unimpeded.

Deciding that he would play along with... whatever this was until he had more information, he donned the only clothing available: brightly colored _orange_ pants and a similarly _orange_ jacket over a black shirt, wondering the whole time who would even create such clothing, much less purchase _four _identical sets. The heavily patched state of the garments indicated that the owner had been using these jumpsuits for some time.

Kuushou drew one additional conclusion from what he had seen so far: he had _not _been the one in control prior to the... jump, change, switch, whatever it had been.

A quick check in the mirror confirmed that his whisker marks that Ino had dubbed "cute" - solely to annoy him, he was sure - were on prominent display, though his eyes were their normal blue hue, the pupils fully human in appearance. One last check around the apartment turned up a single kunai pouch, as heavily repaired as his clothing, and then he was out the door.

The apartment building, it turned out, was located in the civilian section of town, and a rather rundown part of it at that. He wasn't sure he'd ever actually set foot in this area before, but with the Hokage Tower as a landmark he established his bearings and quickly set off to the Academy.

As he made his way through Konoha, he began testing the limits of his body. He would sprint as fast as he could without the aid of chakra for a short distance, then jump back and forth rapidly, then stretch his limbs to the utmost, and so on. It no doubt looked strange to the civilians, but he had seen ninja do stranger things in the name of exercise. He found that he was in excellent shape... by civilian standards. His current body was literally years behind by his own, rather more exacting, standards. If he was forced to endure this body as he had his last, he would have to carefully consider just how quickly he could get it back into proper shape.

As Kuushou moved through the village, he didn't overlook the fact that no one greeted him. Shop owners and civilians who had welcomed his presence before refused to acknowledge him. Even calling out greetings and referring to them by name did not garner the desired reaction; instead they stiffened in alarm and regarded him suspiciously. Interesting.

He arrived at the Academy with fifteen minutes to spare, noting that the apparent indifference he had seen from the civilians extended to the teachers and students. His fellow students, who had previously sought out his advice and companionship whenever possible or looked on jealously from afar, glanced at him dismissively before returning to whatever they had been doing. Shrugging, he made his way over to Shikamaru and Chouji.

"Hey Shika, Chouji," Kuushou said, waving.

Chouji hesitantly waved back, looking a little uncomfortable. Shikamaru didn't even bother to raise his head off the desk. "What do you want, Naruto?" the Nara mumbled.

Kuushou blinked at the less than friendly response, but pushed forward anyway. "Want to play a quick game while we wait? It'll be a while before they get to our names."

Shikamaru did raise his head now, confusion clear on his face. "Why would I do that?" he asked. "No offense, but I don't think you'd be much of a challenge. Hell, do you even know how to play shogi? Troublesome..."

Well. Clearly things were very different here.

"Uh... never mind then," Kuushou said, pasting a look of disappointment on his face. He spotted Sasuke seated next to the window, an intense expression on his face as he stared at seemingly nothing. Shrugging, he plopped down in the seat next to him.

"Hey Sasuke, what's going on? You look kinda pissed."

Sasuke glanced at him briefly before returning his gaze to whatever mysterious and invisible object held his interest. "Hn," he grunted, and fell silent.

_Very _different. Sasuke wasn't the most talkative person he knew, not by a long shot, but he usually managed something more than monosyllabic responses and incoherent grunting.

Further questions were put on hold as the door to the classroom was thrown open and Sakura and Ino stumbled in, somehow managing to simultaneously keep each other from falling while trying to push the other away. It would have been impressive if it didn't look entirely unintentional.

They began arguing over who had entered the room first as he bounded to his feet and jogged over, smiling widely. "Hey, Ino-nee-chan!"

He knew the situation was far worse than he had first thought the moment the words left his mouth. In response to his greeting, the room fell silent and both Ino and Sakura turned to stare at him, identical looks of shock and disgust on their faces. Sakura's face quickly brightened as she pushed Ino forward. "He's looking for you, Ino-pig! You two can talk while I go sit with Sasuke-kun!"

Sakura began to step around him, already beginning to ignore him as she focused on Sasuke, but Ino reached out and grabbed her hair, yanking her backwards. "Not so fast, Forehead! I don't know what you promised him to get him to do this, but I'm not falling for it!"

Kuushou stared at them, a blank expression on his face as they once again began squabbling over who could sit next to "Sasuke-kun!" and completely ignoring his presence.

He resolved in that very moment to find out who had done this. He would find them, and ask them why.

And then he would _obliterate _them.

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><p>Kuushou sighed in irritation as he flipped over the test paper. Whoever had sent him into this... dream, universe, illusion, whatever it was, didn't have a very high opinion of his intelligence. Other than the simple genjutsu changing the order of the questions, the test was horribly simple, something second year students would be expected to score perfectly on. He also had his doubts about that genjutsu being an actual part of the test, since no one else had a genjutsu on their paper.<p>

Of course, looking around, he wasn't sure the questions hidden under the genjutsu were standard either. His paper had fewer questions and the ones it did have looked shorter and simpler.

Once the hour allotted for the test was over, Iruka came by each desk and picked up the tests one by one. He had a proud smile on his face when he picked up Kuushou's test, and nodded encouragingly to him before continuing his rounds. He wasn't quite sure what to make of that.

Kuushou followed the rest of the class outside for the physical portions of the exam, which consisted of a simple speed trial, throwing accuracy, and a strength measurement.

"Uzumaki, Naruto!" Iruka called out from near the targets for the accuracy portion of the test. It took Kuushou several seconds to realize that they were referring to him. Uzumaki? He vaguely recalled that the container's mother had been an Uzumaki, but he had never gone by that name before.

"Now, remember Naruto, you only need to land seven out of ten to pass, and bulls-eyes give extra points," Iruka said encouragingly. Kuushou nodded distractedly as he picked up the kunai from the table nearby and whipped them towards the targets. He scowled as he felt his muscles protesting the movement slightly, throwing off his aim on a few of the shots. Only four out of ten bulls-eyes, and most of those were on the edge. Pathetic.

He nodded to Iruka and moved away from the table, filing away the look of shock on his teacher's face and the weird looks the other kids were giving him.

The next two tests went similarly; he had to boost his muscles with chakra to life more than fifty kilograms, and even with chakra he found that he had lost a full four seconds off his speed on the hundred meter dash.

It also became clear during the second test that the looks of shock were because he was doing so _well_, not because he was performing, as he felt in his own mind, so poorly. Most of the other students were unable to lift more than twenty kilograms, and many were much slower than him as well. It was like the entire Academy had taken a huge step backwards in terms of skill and conditioning.

"Alright students, head back inside for the jutsu portion of the exam!" Iruka called. The teacher's gaze kept shifting his way, his expression an odd mixture of pride and confusion.

Kuushou waited impatiently for his name to be called. He took his cue from the other students in the room and clapped politely as people returned bearing forehead protectors that marked them as successful graduates, only to stop when this garnered even more strange looks. This was getting very tiresome.

"Uzumaki, Naruto!" Iruka called again. Kuushou headed out the door and followed Iruka down the hall, ignoring the glances Iruka kept sending his way. Iruka lead him into another classroom down the hall, where Mizuki was already waiting inside, seated behind a table with a stack of papers and a handful of forehead protectors. A log, roughly three feet in diameter and four feet long, stood on its end in the middle of the room.

Iruka settled down into the other empty seat behind the table and cleared his throat. "Alright Naruto, you just need to perform the Basic Three; henge, kawarimi, and bunshin." His voice sounded odd as he said the last, and his face grew pensive.

Kuushou just nodded. Quickly forming the proper seals, he called out, "Henge!" A small puff of smoke later and he had changed into the image of the Third Hokage, down to the pipe. He waited for a moment before performing the kawarimi while still disguised, his voice also sounding like that of the Third Hokage as he spoke the name of the jutsu.

"Very good, Naruto!" Iruka said, smiling widely. "Now you just need to...," his voice trailed off as three more images of the Third Hokage appeared, all of them with similar smirks on their faces as they took a long puff on their still smoking pipes.

"That's... that's great, Naruto! You passed!" he exclaimed, reaching for a headband on the table. Kuushou noted that Mizuki seemed much less excited about the result than Iruka.

"I knew you could do it!" Iruka said, handing the forehead protector to Kuushou with a proud expression.

"Thank you, Umino-sensei," Kuushou said, bowing and accepting the headband. He turned and left the room, not noticing the frozen expression on Iruka's face, too occupied with trying to figure out what had happened to him and what role he was supposed to be playing.

He returned to the classroom, noting once again that the other students seemed shocked at his success. A quick scan revealed that only Hinata Hyuuga actually appeared happy about the situation. For some reason she was tucked in the back of the classroom, apparently trying to hide within a large coat.

No one had time to approach him, however, as Mizuki entered the room, looking tense. "Yamanaka, Ino, is the last test of the day. If she will come with me, the rest of you are dismissed. Please return tomorrow for further information." His eyes seemed to land everywhere except Kuushou as he attempted to casually peer about the room. The other students let out quick cheers as they hurried to leave the Academy and Ino stomped down the stairs to meet Mizuki, muttering about how this wasn't fair.

Kuushou left at a more sedate pace, strolling casually off the Academy grounds. He paused for a moment, pondering where to go, before he decided to head to the training grounds to see if his "private" section was still clear.

He'd barely reached the edge of the first training ground before he found himself surrounded by two squads of ANBU, all holding themselves in battle-ready stances. There was a noticeable tension in the air as one of them stepped forward slightly and spoke.

"Naruto Uzumaki, please come with us immediately," the raven-masked ninja said.

Kuushou shrugged and nodded, and quickly found himself whisked away. The group passed through several nondescript buildings and dimly lit tunnels before Kuushou was placed inside a room filled with only a single chair placed against the wall. The walls were smooth blocks of stone, and the door was bolted securely to the wall and made of solid steel.

"Interesting," Kuushou said, stepping into the room without concern. Maybe they were finally getting to the point of this little charade.

He waited in the room for roughly five minutes; five minutes he spent focusing on his other senses and mapping the movements of the ninja around him. He'd never bothered to memorize most of the signatures he felt, but he recognized Kakashi Hatake, Anko Mitarashi, Ibiki Morino, and, of course, Hiruzen Sarutobi. There were quite a few others that he vaguely recognized as members of ANBU.

He felt Anko and Ibiki pausing outside his door for a moment before the steel door was thrown open violently to slam against the wall with a loud bang. The two interrogators waltzed in, Ibiki's scarred face set in a sadistic leer and Anko playing up her sexy and insane look, toying suggestively with a kunai in her hand as she eyed him. Both hid it well, but they were more tense than he had ever seen them.

"Who are you?" Ibiki barked suddenly as he came to a stop in the middle of the room. The steel door was left wide open, no doubt to tempt him into trying to escape. He could feel the multiple lines of ninja lining every route away from the room just waiting for him to do such a thing.

Kuushou smirked slightly, remaining seated in his chair. He'd given up pretending to be "Naruto Uzumaki" the moment the ANBU had surrounded him; however they expected him to act was clearly very, very different from how "Naruto Yamanaka" acted. Better to stick with the role he knew.

"Who do you think I am?" Kuushou asked, smirking.

"We'll be asking the questions here, impostor!" Ibiki snarled. He twitched slightly before settling back into his stance. It seemed he wanted to move closer but was hesitant to do so for some reason. Anko had no such hesitation, strolling forward with an exaggerated sway of her hips and running one finger along his arm and across his chest.

"You can answer our questions," she purred in a sultry voice, "or we can make you." As she finished her sentence, she whipped the hand fondling the kunai forward. The blade left a long shallow gash on his cheek and nicked his ear before winding up buried several inches deep in the stone wall behind him.

Kuushou didn't so much as twitch. He waited a long beat before turning his head to face Anko and looking her straight in the eyes. She met his gaze, her own eyes glinting with madness. It was mostly an act, he knew, but one she had honed to perfection. Kuushou slowly, deliberately, lifted his hand to his cheek and wiped his finger along the cut. He watched as her eyes widened when the cut completely disappeared as his finger passed, and watched as they widened even further when the nick on his ear healed seemingly of its own accord.

He smirked as Anko slowly backed away, the madness fading from her eyes as the tension in the room picked up another notch. Both Ibiki and Anko tensed even further, their bodies nearly quivering in place, when three loud, echoing bangs sounded from down the hallway. Their eyes met briefly before they backed out of the room, swinging the door shut behind them.

Kuushou sighed; this was getting tedious, and apparently going nowhere quickly.

He stood and began slowly walking around the edge of the room, his head cocked to the side as he studied the stone walls. His attention was focused on the chakra signals down the hallway, where Anko and Ibiki were talking with the Hokage and several ninja that he thought were ANBU. Their chakra was highly agitated, and more ninja seemed to be running in every direction throughout the complex.

He contemplated breaking through the seal and ending this charade, but curiosity stayed his hand. Very few beings were capable of crafting an illusion this complete or moving him across the realms without his consent, and none of them would do so on a whim. Well, his brother might, but this illusion lacked all the earmarks of his brother's pranks. Kami was capable of it, certainly, but Kami was so wrapped up in his self-inflicted rules and higher purpose that it seemed unlikely he would act in this manner.

He put his contemplation on hold when he felt the Hokage approaching and moved back to his chair, assuming the same unconcerned, slightly impatient air he had maintained with Anko and Ibiki. This time the door swung open and the Hokage stepped into the room, alone.

Kuushou smiled and waved. "Hey, Hokage-jii-san," he said.

The Hokage flinched slightly. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice calm but firm.

"Naruto Yamanaka," he replied casually. "The real question is, who are you?"

The Hokage blinked. "What?"

"I have been trapped in some sort of genjutsu, or perhaps abducted and taken into a sloppy recreation of Konoha. You people got the outlines right, but the details are all wrong. First of all, everyone acts like I'm a retarded three year old, which is, frankly, rather insulting. Second, a lot of the businesses are in the wrong places. Third, you didn't even get my place of residence right."

The Hokage blinked several times before shaking his head. "An interesting story, but it is you who seems to have gotten the details wrong. You act nothing like Naruto-kun... Kyuubi."

Kuushou just cocked his head to the side. "Kyuubi? You mean the tailed beast? What does it have to do with this?"

The Hokage's fists slowly clenched. "Enough of your games, Kyuubi. How did you get out of your seal, and what happened to Naruto?"

"You aren't very good at this, you know. You've picked one of the few people who knows beyond a doubt that I am _not _the tailed beast sealed within me to make these accusations. Hokage-jii-san would never be that stupid." Kuushou paused for a moment, judging the Hokage's reaction, before he pushed the conversation in the direction he wanted. "What next? Are you going to have Shizune-nee-chan accuse me of being the tailed beast? Ino-nee-chan? 'Course, you already got her completely wrong too, along with the rest of the Clan Kids."

The Hokage was looking at him oddly now, no doubt thrown off by his words. Kuushou just smiled to himself and continued.

"Whatever plan you've got, you didn't think it through very well. The _real _Hokage is going to be looking for me, and you'll find out _exactly _why they call him the God of Shinobi, just like Fugaku and the rest of the Uchiha traitors did."

That certainly got a reaction; just not the one he had been anticipating. He had expected protestations that the old man before him was the real Hokage or further accusations that he was the "Kyuubi", not Naruto, which would then lead into discussions of how he could prove his claims. What he didn't expect was for the blood to drain from the Hokage's face – for a moment it even looked like the old man might keel over on the spot.

"What do you know about that?" the Hokage asked, his voice strained.

Kuushou blinked, partly in genuine confusion. "Everyone knows that you and the other clan heads took out Fugaku and a bunch of Uchiha when they tried to take over the village. Heck, that was years ago and people still talk about how you defeated Fugaku and his two best jounin on your own without getting a scratch."

Some of the color returned to the Hokage's face, but he still looked oddly pensive. He stared for a long moment before leaving the room, closing the door behind him.

He waited for twenty more minutes, tracking the motion of the ninja outside his room, before he found another familiar signature approaching his door: Inoichi Yamanaka.

The Yamanaka clan head entered the room slowly, keeping a careful eye on him even as a squad of ANBU filtered into the room behind him.

Inoichi cleared his throat and began speaking. "Hokage-sama has decided that there is some doubt as to the exact nature of your identity. As such, I have been ordered to perform a Mind Walk to confirm that you are in fact who you say you are."

Kuushou was surprised, though he didn't let it show. He had thought it was commonly known that the Yamanaka techniques did not work against him – unless he allowed them to, anyway, and no one other than Ino had that particular privilege – but apparently either no one knew that here or the rules were different. Of course, his experience with Ino had prepared him to mimic the effect of a Mind Walk on a normal human being well enough that Ino could find no flaws. They had initially done so as a mixture of practice for Ino and in preparation of someone catching them during one of their mental meetings. It seemed that would be coming in handy now.

"Ok," Kuushou said simply, waiting for Inoichi's inevitable question.

"... that's all? You're going to just let me enter your mind, just like that?"

Different world or not, illusion or not, he was still able to predict Inoichi well. "Of course. I trust you, Tou-san. Well, I would if you were actually my Tou-san. Since you aren't, whatever you try to do is naturally not going to work."

Inoichi jerked slightly, and the other ninja in the room shuffled uneasily. Shaking off his surprise, Inoichi flashed through the seals required for the jutsu.

It was a curious thing, watching Inoichi explore his false mindscape. The memories planted in the false mindscape started from roughly six months old and, with a few simple adjustments, included everything up to his time in the ANBU cell. Well, not _everything; _he had made sure to leave out some of the more... incriminating memories.

Inoichi started with today's memories, probably using events he could confirm as a baseline for exploring the rest of them. Ino claimed it wasn't strictly necessary, but comparing your own perspective and knowledge against that of the target supposedly deepened and clarified the experience... or something. Ino swore up and down that the difference was startling, but she could never demonstrate it during their sessions. Possibly it was unique to Yamanakas.

From that first memory, Inoichi oriented himself and headed straight for the oldest memories. He looked vaguely surprised, then increasingly disturbed as he followed them up through the years, the whole process taking mere minutes. Ino could manage a day's worth of memories in a minute of "real" time, but Inoichi's experience and skill were clear as he sifted through entire years of events with ease.

The moment he stumbled on the adoption was obvious, because he emerged from that particular set of memories looking stunned. Kuushou thought he could spot the Kumo incident and Itachi's "assassination attempt" as well, though he wasn't certain. After a few more minutes Inoichi vanished from the false mindscape, and Kuushou allowed his focus to return to outside his body.

He watched as Inoichi blinked rapidly before nodding gruffly. He made several hand signals: _safe; probable; at ease_. The ANBU in the room relaxed slightly after that. Inoichi turned and left the room hurriedly, throwing a few curious glances behind him as he did so.

He waited an entire hour this time, sitting in his chair in the middle of the room with a bored look plastered on his face. He considered attempting to talk to the ANBU who were watching him but eventually discarded the idea; he didn't recognize any of them by their chakra signatures and couldn't think of anything useful to say or ask.

Instead, he passed the time by stretching his senses as much as possible in an effort to identify where key people were located within Konoha. The Hokage was nearby, of course, along with all of his prominent ANBU. He couldn't sense Dragon, though, which was odd; given how seriously the Hokage seemed to be treating the situation, he would have expected the ANBU Commander to be nearby. Perhaps he was out on a mission.

Twenty minutes into his wait he had identified most of the Clan Heads and their children. He had failed to locate Mikoto Uchiha or the Ogawa Clan Head, however. In fact, he couldn't identify any of the Uchiha he had bothered to remember, aside from Sasuke.

He also couldn't identify Shizune or any of her medical staff. It was incredibly rare for Shizune to leave Konoha, and to take _all _of her staff with her?

Strange.

He was busy trying to dredge up any memories that might identify the ANBU in the room with him – the one in the Cat mask he might have encountered before, he thought – when he felt the Hokage approaching his room once again.

The old man entered the room more slowly this time, a pensive expression on his face.

"Leave us," he said, stepping aside to allow the ANBU to file out of the room. They did so without complaint and closed the door behind them.

"Well, Naruto-kun, we seem to have a rather unusual situation on our hands," the Hokage began.

Kuushou just shrugged, his face impassive. "I'm biding my time until the real Hokage shows up," he said. "You guys aren't even all that inventive with the interrogation."

"Yes... about that. Inoichi gave his report and it was rather... convincing. We have been forced to acknowledge that you are, for all intents and purposes, Naruto Uzumaki – or rather, Yamanaka. This does not explain what happened to _our _Naruto, but Inoichi is convinced that you were brought here against your will and without your knowledge.

"The problem therefore is how to convince you that you are not trapped in a genjutsu or otherwise being misled. Is there anything you can think of that would convince you?"

"Any sufficiently complex genjutsu is capable of utilizing the target's own expectations against them in order to produce a suitably convincing illusion," Kuushou quoted. Noticing the Hokage's expression, he snapped, "That, right there. Why are you surprised?"

The Hokage looked faintly embarrassed, but answered nonetheless. "I am not used to hearing you – or Naruto, rather – speak so... knowledgeably."

"So that wasn't a mistaken impression, then. People really do think I'm an idiot."

The Hokage spluttered for a moment before sighing. "Essentially, yes. You- Naruto is not scholastically inclined. He enjoyed more physical pursuits and was rarely able to focus in the classroom."

"To the extent that passing the graduation exam was so out of character that you were convinced I was more likely to be a mindless engine of hatred and destruction?" he bit out. It wasn't even him, not really, but he'd spent a lot of time crafting his persona as the intelligent and studious Naruto Yamanaka, and he found the very idea that he would be viewed in such a poor light insulting.

"It was Iruka Umino who first voiced his concerns," the Hokage said, not answering his question directly. "Apparently you addressed him as 'Umino-sensei' during your test, something which Naruto-kun would never do. He had a rather friendly relationship with Iruka and always addressed him as 'Iruka-sensei'. Once we had reason to suspect that Naruto was not himself, the Kyuubi was the most probable explanation."

Kuushou maintained his glare for a long moment, enjoying the look of discomfort on the Hokage's face immensely, before he sighed and leaned back. "Fair enough," he said. "As for what would convince me this is real... two things.

"First, why did you react so strangely to the mention of the Uchiha incident?"

The Hokage flinched again. Kuushou frowned thoughtfully, realizing that this Hokage seemed to be much easier to read and was much more open with his emotions. He also seemed older and more frail than when he had last seen him. Several years older, in fact, although based on everything else he had seen the rest of the world was more or less equivalent to his own, time-wise.

"The Uchiha were not traitors," the Hokage said firmly. "All but one of them were killed when one of their own went rogue – according to the sole witness, the perpetrator had gone insane and massacred his own clan to 'test his capacity'."

"Obviously Sasuke is the survivor," Kuushou mused, "so who was the perpetrator?"

"Itachi Uchiha."

It took everything Kuushou had not to burst out laughing at that point. Itachi killing his own family? Not likely. Granted, this was apparently an entirely different world - and with the number of differences both subtle and large piling up before him it was becoming easier and easier to believe that particular scenario. Even so, the thought of someone like Itachi doing that, and for such a ridiculous reason as 'testing his capacity'... absurd. The man was S-ranked by the time he was fifteen; killing craftsmen and policemen would present no meaningful challenge.

Kuushou didn't let any of that show, of course.

"I suppose that isn't surprising," he said instead. "I'm sure that Inoichi told you that Itachi almost killed me when he betrayed Konoha."

"Yes...," the Hokage said slowly, looking distinctly uncomfortable.

"Moving on then... second, why was I not adopted by the Yamanakas?"

The Hokage sighed and wiped his hand over his face. "Well, the good news there is that no attempted murder happened for our Naruto. I can't speak to all of the reasons you were adopted in your world, but the counseling sessions I'm sure were a large part of that."

Kuushou just nodded, knowing that much should have been obvious from the memories Inoichi witnessed. "Why was I not adopted at all, then? Why am I living alone in that terrible apartment in the slums?"

The Hokage looked uncomfortable again. "There was no murder attempt, but there were a number of... incidents involving you when you were younger. You eventually asked to be allowed to live on your own, and it was decided that you might be more comfortable doing so. The city of Konoha provides a small stipend for orphaned children who are not adopted, but that apartment is about all you can afford."

"Incidents?"

"You were involved in a number of altercations with the other children which were escalating in intensity. Injuries were becoming more frequent, and the situation was not improving."

Kuushou found it interesting that the Hokage couldn't quite meet his eyes. He sat back, thinking over everything the Hokage had said, and more importantly what he hadn't said.

"Iruka Umino raised concerns, you said."

The Hokage's brow furrowed as he nodded.

"A school teacher knew enough to be worried that I was the tailed beast."

The Hokage grimaced, looking resigned.

"Everyone in Konoha knows, don't they? That's why they were so wary of me when I was headed towards the Academy this morning."

"Not everyone," the Hokage corrected quickly. "None of the children your age know."

Kuushou blinked, honestly surprised by that.

"Shino, Sasuke, and Hinata don't know?" He barely avoided adding Ino to that list, remembering just in time that the Yamanaka here weren't endangered by his youki... apparently, anyway. He cursed internally, trying to remember if any of the memories Inoichi had seen included that little tidbit or not. There was the meeting with the Hokage and Inoichi when he claimed to already know about his status as a jinchuuriki, but he didn't think that included the bit about the Yamanaka, did it?

"Should they?" the Hokage asked.

"Well, their bloodlines can easily identify my status as a jinchuuriki, if they knew what they were detecting. The fact that my chakra is different should be rather obvious, in any case."

"Which is easily explained as a new bloodline," the Hokage replied.

Kuushou paused before nodding thoughtfully. "That would work for a while, I suppose," he allowed. "Regardless, even if none of the children know, your wording implies that all, or at least most, of the adults do."

The Hokage sighed and nodded. "Despite my best intentions, your status had reached too many ears too quickly in the wake of the Kyuubi's attack. The damage to the village was extensive, and the majority of our efforts focused on saving those trapped in the rubble rather than information control. Preventing overzealous ninja and even civilians from 'finishing the job' was difficult enough at the time. It took a while for the fools to understand that doing so was just as likely to release the Kyuubi as anything."

Kuushou blinked for a moment before immediately shifting his focus inside the seal. If the Hokage believed that he would be released, that meant that the Death God had not told them everything here. Or, perhaps, that the seal itself was different. And if it was a different seal, perhaps he was not bound to be banished if he broke it.

His excitement faded as quickly as it came as he recognized the white walls and small doorways of his seal. This may be a different world, but either the seal was essentially the same or his old seal had come with him.

Disappointed, though not terribly surprised, he shifted his focus back outside his body and fixed his gaze on the Hokage once again.

"So all of that means that Naruto was hated or feared by the adults because they think he is the tailed beast, and that the children have been taught to hate and fear me as well. I was the one getting injured at the orphanage, wasn't I? They were beating me up more and more, and the adults in the orphanage were doing nothing to stop it. I was _allowed_ to leave for my own protection."

The Hokage just nodded, shamefaced.

Kuushou grinned to himself. This Hokage had the same guilt complex as his own; worse, even, since he had so much more to be guilty about.

"Well, I have to admit that the different world theory looks more and more likely," he said, watching the Hokage's expression carefully. When he spotted the bit of happiness and anticipation shining in the old man's eyes, he continued, "Too many things are different for this to be an elaborate hoax, and a genjutsu is out since I would never have expected something that fucked up to happen to me in any world."

Messing with this Hokage would be even more amusing than messing with his own, Kuushou thought, enjoying the pained expression on the old man's face immensely.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: As promised, here is Swapping the Cage moved into its own story. I'll be going through what I have in the Filing Cabinet, revising, editing, and breaking it into standard-sized chapters. This chapter came through with only minor revisions for things like wording and so on. **

**I did make a slight change to Kuushou's physical conditioning as measured in the Graduation Exam to be more consistent with how I portrayed it elsewhere. That change being that based solely on unaugmented physical condition, he is roughly in the middle of the pack. He had to boost his performance with chakra in order to perform as well as he did. Also added a line where he considers how to address that problem.**

**I'll commit to the same update schedule as Ramen Days, which is to say once a month, 5k+ words. That will be _after _I finish revising and breaking up what I already have posted, though, so expect three more chapters relatively soon.**

**Revised: 02-20-2012 - Typos - thanks to Shattered Silence for pointing them out!  
><strong>


	2. Let's Make A Deal

With his "identity" finally established, they eventually moved their discussion to the Hokage's office and settled in to discuss the fine details of his continued stay in Konoha. Since neither of them had any idea what had happened, how to undo it, or if such a thing was even possible, moving forward was the only option left.

They were just beginning to discuss his graduation and future as a genin when the door opened and three people walked in unannounced. Kuushou's eyebrows rose in surprise when none of the ANBU so much as twitched in reaction; even the Hokage seemed more resigned than annoyed.

All of them were old, probably as old as the Hokage. The two in front, one male and one female, wore quality robes of simple design and walked with straight backs and stern expressions. There were followed by another male, this one swathed in bandages and walking with the aid of a cane. Even more curiously, Kuushou had never seen any of them.

"This is the boy, Hiruzen?" the female asked, her tone neutral.

"Yes, Koharu, this is _Naruto,_" the Hokage replied.

Kuushou blinked. He may not have have recognized them on first sight, but the name had pulled up distant memories from his study of Konoha's history. "Koharu Utatane? Homura Mitokado?"

All four of the adults paused and turned to look at him. Koharu and Homura actually looked surprised, while the Hokage merely appeared curious. The fourth man... well, he was impossible to read, even for him. Calling his expression "blank" didn't do it justice.

"It's quite an honor," Kuushou continued, "to meet two of the heroes of Konoha. Well, you were heroes in my world, anyway; you gave your lives to delay the beast long enough for the Fourth Hokage's plan to work. Obviously you didn't do that here."

Their expressions twisted oddly, as if they were trying to figure out if they had just been complimented or insulted as well as absorbing the fact that they had apparently died twelve years ago in another world.

Moving on, Kuushou turned to the fourth man in the room, pausing dramatically before stating, "And I have no idea who you are."

"I'm not surprised," came the flat reply from the bandaged man.

"That is Danzo Shimura," the Hokage supplied, "one of the elders of Konoha."

"I see," Kuushou said, turning his attention back to the Hokage.

"Now that the boy's interruption is over," Homura said, his voice laced with annoyance, "what do you plan to do with him, Hiruzen?"

"Nothing at all," the Hokage replied simply.

"Preposterous," Koharu snapped. "You can't just let a potential infiltrator wander about. He needs to be evaluated and watched!"

"He has been evaluated, by Inoichi," the Hokage replied calmly. "As far as I am concerned he is Naruto."

"That's all well and good, Hiruzen," Homura began, "but as you know a single evaluation, even performed by someone as skilled as Inoichi, can miss things."

The three began to argue back and forth, the apparent sticking point not so much his identity as how much he should be trusted. While they bickered, Kuushou watched Danzo, who was in turn watching the proceedings silently.

Then one particular tidbit caught Kuushou's attention.

"Excuse me?" he interrupted. "Did you just say I _failed _the graduation test? _Twice?_" He wasn't entirely certain why that was brought up – something about his attitude and competence – but it had nonetheless been stated.

The adults in the room turned to him once again.

"Yes, you did – well, our Naruto did," the Hokage answered.

"_That _graduation exam. He _failed _that."

The Hokage nodded silently.

"Was he retarded? Suffered brain damage as a child? Lobotomized, perhaps?"

The Hokage, along with Homura and Koharu, just stared at him. Then he heard a small, rusty chuckle coming from Danzo. The man was shaking, his one remaining hand covering his mouth as he choked out his laughter. Kuushou got the impression that this man didn't laugh much. Or at all.

"Tell me, boy," Danzo said after a moment, his voice back to the monotone he had used earlier, "what makes you say that?"

"You mean besides the fact that I could have answered every single one of the questions on the written exam before the end of my first year? How about the ridiculously low standards for the strength portion? People were shocked that I could lift fifty kilograms, and apart from Chouji I didn't see a single person lift more than half that much!

"How about the speed trial, where twenty seconds was considered a _good _time? Kami, you didn't even ask me to demonstrate a jutsu apart from the Basic Three! For a while there I honestly thought it was the exams to move into second year!"

Homura and Koharu were making offended noises while the Hokage looked oddly thoughtful, but Danzo just stared at him. Kuushou stared back, wondering what was going on behind that expressionless mask.

Finally, Danzo smirked slightly, the expression looking every bit as odd and rusty as his laugh had sounded.

"I like him," he said, and left the office.

* * *

><p>Koharu and Homura left shortly afterwards, scurrying out of the office with annoyed expressions. With that interruption taken care of, the Hokage once more turned his attention to his young guest.<p>

"Now then, I believe we were about to discuss your graduation. Since you obviously have the skills to pass the exam and we have established that you are in fact Naruto, if not _our _Naruto, I see no problem with allowing you to become an official genin here."

Kuushou nodded silently.

"As for the team placements, we've built all of the teams according to class rankings, so you'll be placed on a squad with the Rookie of the Year and the Kunoichi of the Year."

Kuushou's face twitched.

"Meaning I was the..."

"Er, well, yes," the Hokage said, looking apologetic.

"Did my performance during the final exam not factor in?"

"It did, yes, and you scored the highest overall on that particular test; congratulations, by the way, as that is no mean feat. Unfortunately, even with that, you were still ranked the lowest among those who managed to graduate."

Kuushou dropped his face into his hands, shaking his head. "Fine, whatever. So I'm on a team with Ino and... who?"

The Hokage's eyebrow raised. "Ino? Why would you be on a team with Ino?"

"You said the Kunoichi of the Year," Kuushou pointed out, wondering if the old man was senile.

"Ino's grades placed her in the middle of the pack. Besides, she has been placed on a team with Shikamaru Nara and Chouji Akimichi."

Kuushou sighed, feeling the beginnings of a headache coming on.

"... alright, Hinata then. Who else?"

"Hinata Hyuuga's overall grades were also middle of the pack. A little below average, actually."

"... what the fuck is wrong with this world? Who the hell _is _on my team?"

"Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha."

Kuushou relaxed a little. "Alright, I can work with that. Sasuke at least has his sharingan and should be able to keep up. I can help out with Sakura's medic training while she focuses on genjutsu. I can see that."

"Sasuke has not activated his sharingan yet, and Sakura has not received any medical training. Such skills are restricted to genin and above."

"... you didn't give the Clan Kids exemptions for that? _Please_ tell me they've at least started learning C-rank skills."

"The Clan Kids? What do you mean?"

Kuushou dropped his head against the desk with a loud thud. He banged it several times before raising his gaze to meet the Hokage's confused expression.

"No."

"No? No what?"

"I am _not_ playing babysitter to some fresh genin who haven't even _begun _learning C-rank skills. I will quit before I waste my time any further."

"I know you are much more skilled than our own Naruto, but that doesn't mean-"

"Obviously Inoichi didn't explain everything in detail," Kuushou interrupted, "so let me clear things up for you.

"I was ready to graduate the Academy after a single year. I was trained personally by Itachi Uchiha for two years before he went batshit crazy. My chakra control is S-rank, my personal chakra reserves are S-rank, and my effective chakra reserves don't _have _a rank, because no one can actually measure them. I studied under Shizune-sama for five years and am a fully accredited medic-nin, lacking only the experience to reach S-rank in that category.

"I received an exemption that allowed me to study all skills available to a genin after my first year in the Academy, which I used to great effect. I know literally every fuinjutsu I was allowed access to, and can produce them on command. I know a multitude of C-rank jutsu with an emphasis on wind and earth, and I can pump enough chakra into those jutsu to make them effective A-rank techniques if need be.

"In my own world, there was a group known as the Clan Kids, consisting of Ino, Hinata, Sasuke, Kiba, Shino, Shikamaru, Chouji, Sakura, and myself. For everything I accomplished, they were only one or two steps behind me. Ino in particular was in the top three in every category among our year. All of them were well-versed in their clan jutsu, and in Sakura's case she had been studying medical jutsu for two years; Hinata has been studying them for one. Sasuke has a fully matured sharingan. Shino, Chouji, Shikamaru, and Kiba were already working on their clans' B-rank techniques before they even graduated.

"Does _any _of that apply in this world?"

Mutely, the Hokage shook his head.

"Give me an alternative then. Promote me to chuunin immediately; I can pass any test you care to throw at me. Hell, you can apprentice me to someone who can actually teach me something useful. I don't care, as long as it isn't fucking D-ranks while my team perfects their water-walking."

"Water-walking isn't taught until-"

"For fuck's sake! How in Kami's name did you let those kids graduate?"

"I'm beginning to wonder that myself," the Hokage replied candidly. Then he grimaced. "No, I know exactly why. One thing Inoichi did mention is that the Kyuubi's attack in your world was thwarted much more quickly, and without any significant damage to the village itself. The loss of life also seems to have been significantly less.

"I don't know the current state of affairs in your own world, but in this one we haven't recovered even half of the losses we incurred that day. In order to remain functional we have had to significantly relax our standards in regards to graduates and allow them to learn in the field."

Kuushou sat back in his chair, shrugging. "That may be," he said, "but that doesn't change my position. Placing me on a genin team would be a waste of my talents. I want to be in the field, but I could just as easily become a seal master or enter the med-nin corps." Or leave.

The Hokage shook his head. "Both would be valuable, but I agree that your particular talents would be best utilized in the field." He sighed, flipping through the papers on his desk. "I'll consider your request," he finally said.

Kuushou frowned, but decided not to push the point any further at the moment. If the old man ended up trying to put him on a genin team anyway, he'd probably just leave Konoha entirely. He had some concerns about his circumstances in this world as well; it might prove prohibitively difficult to regain the reputation he had cultivated, especially if everyone in the village already hated him. This situation had even more restrictions than his old one, with none of the benefits or reasons to remain in the village.

"In the meantime," Kuushou said, "what do I need to know about this world's Naruto?"

"Well..."

* * *

><p>Leaving was looking more and more attractive, Kuushou thought as he left the Hokage's office. He had quickly vetoed any suggestion that he pretend to be the old Naruto. Even if he could manage it – and he wasn't entirely sure he could, given how different Naruto was – the stigma this world's Naruto carried would interfere with his plans considerably. He needed to be taken seriously if he was going to accomplish anything, and acting like an idiot wasn't going to help. At the Hokage's insistence, he had agreed to at least try to make the transition from the old Naruto to his own personality gradual. He personally estimated that his efforts would last about a week, or until he was sufficiently annoyed.<p>

And now he had to eat dinner at some food stand. How such a random thing could be a vital part of his cover he would never know.

"Hey, Teuchi-jiji," he called out, managing to make the unfamiliar name sound mostly natural.

"Naruto! I was beginning to think you weren't going to show up," the old man replied, smiling widely. "How did the exam go?"

"I passed, of course!" he stated, settling into a seat.

"Congratulations, Naruto-kun!" a girl called out.

"Thanks, Ayame-nee-chan!" he replied. He hoped this girl was Ayame, anyway. She was wearing an apron and was the only other person in the shop, so it seemed like a reasonable assumption.

"First round of ramen is free for our newly-minted Konoha ninja!" Teuchi proclaimed.

"Awesome!" Kuushou said, smiling, and began eating the bowl of food placed before him. He ate quickly, noting that the chef had another bowl ready the moment he finished one.

"Are you feeling alright, Naruto-kun?" Ayame asked after a few minutes. "You seem a little... subdued."

Kuushou felt like banging his head on the table again. He had a big fake smile plastered on his face and was eating quickly – he didn't have to fake that part at all, as the food was _damn_ good – but he still wasn't managing to behave like they expected Naruto to. According to the Hokage these two knew Naruto about as well as anyone - another oddity he was having trouble understanding - so they were the most likely to see through any deception.

He placed the chopsticks down on top of the bowl and sighed. "It's just... I'm a ninja now, you know? It's been my dream for so long, but now that I've actually managed it... I guess... I guess I just realized that I needed to grow up."

Teuchi looked both proud and wistful, and Ayame bustled around the counter before pulling him into a tight hug. "Our very own ninja," she sighed, clutching him tighter.

Well, that seemed to have worked well enough.

* * *

><p>Kuushou was heading back to the apartment where he had first arrived when he heard a shrill whistle cut through the quiet night. His four ANBU stalkers – who had been following him ever since he left the Hokage's office – immediately broke off and headed towards the Hokage Tower at a furious pace.<p>

Now that his attention had been drawn to it, he could sense a lot of ninja moving rapidly all over the village, most of them converging towards the Hokage Tower. There were a few isolated signatures moving about randomly, including one vaguely familiar one that seemed to be headed in his direction.

Shrugging, he continued walking towards his apartment. Until he had decided to actually leave the village, it was in his best interests to continue playing the loyal ninja; loyal ninja didn't take the first opportunity to sneak off to parts unknown in the middle of the night. They stayed right where their watchers expected them to be, looking normal and innocent.

That plan went out the window when the nearby chakra signature landed in front of him; it was Mizuki, the taijutsu instructor from the Academy. The man was panting lightly, and was carrying a very large scroll in a harness across his back, with several smaller ones shoved randomly into his pockets and pouches.

"Naruto!" the man called out, an obviously fake smile twisting across his face. "Just the happy graduate I wanted to see!"

"Hello, sensei," Kuushou replied.

"I didn't get a chance to tell you earlier, but there's a special post-graduation test for promising graduates. If you perform well enough, ANBU may even take an interest in you! And everyone knows that ANBU are some of the best ninja in the village, right? That would be a major boon to anyone who wants to become Hokage!"

Kuushou just stared at the teacher before him.

Mizuki continued quickly, looking nervously around at the rooftops and shadows. "All you have to do to participate," he said, "is take one of these scrolls, find a test proctor wearing a white mask, and then keep the scroll away from them for as long as possible."

Here Mizuki pulled out a smaller scroll and tossed it towards him. Kuushou caught it reflexively, his eyes narrowing as he took in the incredibly complex security seal that kept the scroll closed. The security seal alone was far more advanced than anything he had ever been allowed access to before, which meant that the contents of the scroll were either even more advanced or highly sensitive.

Which implied that the large scroll Mizuki was carrying was even more important.

It was also rather obvious that the man was lying through his teeth. He had stolen important documents and was now apparently trying to either pin the blame on Naruto or at least have him implicated as an accomplice. Kuushou didn't know how he had done it, but all of the rapidly moving signatures he could sense were heading in another direction entirely, which meant that as things stood Mizuki would likely make a clean getaway.

With the absence of his ANBU stalkers, it also meant that they were completely alone.

Kuushou's face lit up with an eager grin as he stepped forward. "Really, Mizuki-sensei?" he said excitedly. The teacher was only two meters away now, the perfect range for what he had in mind.

The only potential problem Kuushou saw was their current location. It was very close to the apartment and only two blocks from where the ANBU had last seen him. Then again, he didn't plan to leave any evidence after he was done.

Mizuki's grin widened, and he opened his mouth to reply.

Then two large stone hands burst out of the ground, one gripping his torso and pinning his arms to his sides while the other wrapped around his head, completely covering his mouth and nose.

Mizuki's eyes widened and his legs began to kick frantically, before another stone hand emerged to capture them as well.

"Really, Mizuki-sensei?" Kuushou said again, this time his voice mocking. "You honestly thought I would fall for that? No- don't answer," he said quickly, holding up one hand.

Mizuki's eyes widened even more as his oxygen began to run out and panic set in.

"Given everything I've heard about Naruto, he probably would have," Kuushou concluded disgustedly.

As Kuushou continued speaking, he quickly divested Mizuki of everything he was carrying, starting with the large scroll on his back. Now that he had a closer look, he could see the scroll was clearly labeled as the "Scroll of Forbidden Seals."

Kuushou whistled lowly.

"Impressive," he said. "How did you manage to get ahold of something like this?" He waited a moment, head cocked to the side curiously. "Fine then, don't say anything. Doesn't really matter anyway."

By the time Kuushou had removed all the pouches and scrolls from Mizuki's person, the teacher had lost consciousness. He reached into his pouch to pull out one of his empty sealing scrolls, only to curse when he realized he didn't actually have one with him. He was used to his own clothing and supplies, not the incredibly limited selection this world's Naruto kept at hand.

He also didn't have time to track down sealing paper and ink. He could already sense the ninja searching the village starting to spread out in a more thorough search pattern. Whatever diversion Mizuki had arranged had played out, it seemed.

He piled the scrolls up on the ground and created a bubble of earth around them; this way he could at least carry them with him while he took care of the evidence.

Stepping forward, he placed a hand on Mizuki's shoulder and then submerged into earth, taking his now deceased prisoner with him. After he had completely submerged, the street looked empty and entirely undisturbed, with no evidence that anything out of the ordinary had happened there at all.

Underneath the earth, Kuushou moved down at an angle, going deeper and deeper underground while moving away from his apartment. Once he estimated he was roughly under the middle of Konoha, he shifted his course until he was going straight down.

For anyone else, with the densely packed earth and rock and the complete lack of breathable air, such a journey would be impossible. Kuushou, however, could easily correct whatever damage his body suffered during his time beneath the surface. Even if the other ninja thought to look underground, they would never consider going deeper than a few dozen feet at most.

Roughly three minutes later, he was nearly a mile underground. He released Mizuki's body, satisfied that no one would ever find it this far underground and surrounded by solid rock. Evidence disposed of, he began moving back towards the surface and the street he had recently vacated. The only angle he had left uncovered would be the Inuzuka and their ability to track by scent – and for that, he had planned to return to the surface a block further back and resume his walk to his apartment. With his scent stronger by several minutes than Mizuki's, it should appear as though they moved through the area at different times.

He stopped moving, frowning, as he realized there was another problem – he still had the scrolls with him, and he wasn't certain he would be able to seal them away before someone came looking for him or his ANBU stalkers returned.

He shook his head in exasperation as the solution came to him, and quickly fashioned a small, reinforced hollow in the earth nearby. Once he was satisfied that the small structure wouldn't collapse, he shoved the scrolls into it and headed straight up towards the surface. He cautiously poked his head out, quickly memorizing the area and his position so that he could return later, then resumed his underground trek.

Fifteen minutes later he had covered his tracks as thoroughly as he could and was lying in the shitty bed in his shitty apartment, "asleep". Tomorrow would see if he had actually gotten away with it or not, but even if his cover was blown it would be no great loss.

* * *

><p>The next day dawned bright and clear, and Kuushou was up and out of bed the moment the sun peeked over the horizon. He detested the time he was forced to spend pretending to sleep, but even in his own world no one was prepared to believe that he didn't require any rest at all.<p>

Knowing that he wasn't expected to perform any duties until the Hokage made up his mind about his placement, he made his way to the Konoha library, his ANBU stalkers in tow - they had returned roughly an hour after he entered the apartment, and a different team had taken over a few hours later.

"Out!" the librarian snapped the moment he walked in the door.

"What?" he asked, startled. His gaze focused on the older woman sitting behind the counter near the entrance of the library.

"I won't have any of your nonsense in here," the librarian said forcefully, moving out from behind her desk. She closed in, one hand pointing imperiously towards the exit and the other settling on his shoulder. "It took days to straighten everything out the last time you were allowed in. Pranks? Ha! More like vandalism," the old woman muttered angrily. "The things they let you get away with... honestly, in my day..."

It was a close thing, but Kuushou allowed himself to be escorted out of the library, as he was not yet prepared to make a scene. That said, the prospect of staying in this village was looking more and more uninviting.

Wandering the village as he pondered his situation, he idly made note of the changes from his own world. Some of the buildings were the same, but then there would be entire sections of different ones. The different buildings were always much newer, though, and housed mostly unfamiliar businesses. It took nearly an hour before he realized that the newer buildings were concentrated in the middle of the village, with small, seemingly random offshoots in all directions.

He frowned thoughtfully, trying to imagine the scenario that would have led to him attacking the middle of the village rather than the places ninja were likely to gather, such as the Hokage Tower or the large evacuation shelters in the Hokage Monument. It was possible that the portal from Makai just happened to open there, but he was close enough to sense it if that was the case, and he felt nothing.

Coming out of his musings, he was surprised to find himself standing outside the Yamanaka residence. This, at least, appeared unchanged from his own world, as the color scheme was the same and he could see the well-maintained flowerbeds that Kiku Yamanaka spent so much of her time and energy caring for.

While he was examining the yard, the front door opened and Inoichi Yamanaka exited the house. He had dark circles under his eyes and looked like he hadn't slept at all, but he was freshly bathed and had on clean clothing. He closed the door quietly behind him, then turned and caught sight of the boy standing in front of his house.

His expression was surprised and confused for a moment, but that quickly gave way to recognition and understanding.

"Ah, Naruto," he called out as he moved closer. "That's right, you were- um… yeah," he finished awkwardly.

"Hello, Yamanaka-san," Kuushou replied, his voice neutral.

Inoichi fidgeted for a moment, shifting his weight from one foot to the next and looking at his watch. "I don't have a lot of time," he said finally, "but… do you want to come in?"

Kuushou shrugged and nodded. He didn't have anything specific in mind yet, and Inoichi might prove a valuable resource in gaining information.

They settled down at the kitchen table after Inoichi poured them each a cup of lukewarm coffee. Kuushou could hear the shower running upstairs, which given the hour likely meant that Kiku was getting ready for the day; Ino had never been much of a morning person.

"I'm sorry about all this," Inoichi said suddenly. "After looking through your memories, I know how different things are here and how hard it must be to have everything taken away from you like that. When I saw how your life went in the other world… it makes me wonder… sorry," he said again, staring at his coffee.

Kuushou just shrugged, remaining silent. The silence continued for nearly a minute while Kuushou watched Inoichi start to say something several times only to end up stopping and looking frustrated. He himself was wondering how to turn this conversation in a more useful direction. The man had started things off in highly emotional territory, and he saw no benefit to continuing that sort of discussion; he'd had enough therapy sessions already.

Then Ino entered the room.

"Naruto?" Ino asked, shocked. The blonde girl was currently wearing light purple pajama pants and a loose white shirt. She had clearly just woken up, since she was still rubbing her eyes and her hair was sticking up on one side of her head. "What are _you _doing here?" she asked, somehow managing to fill her voice with equal parts curiosity and annoyance.

After the reception he had received yesterday at the Academy, he wasn't at all surprised that he was unwelcome now. He had already mentally separated his own world's Ino from this poor mockery, noting the weaker, lethargic feeling of this girl's chakra compared to the real Ino's. Their signatures were still very similar, but this girl lacked the finely honed edge and larger - much larger, Kuushou noted wryly - reserves that Ino had acquired over the years.

Inoichi jerked in his seat, his eyes widening slightly before he turned to face his daughter. "Ino!" he barked, his voice harsh.

She recoiled, stunned at her father's tone. "What?" she asked quietly.

"Don't talk like that!" he reprimanded, though his tone had softened somewhat.

Ino looked confused, however. "It's just Naruto," she said, as if that explained everything. "What is he doing in our house so early, anyway? Did he prank you or something?"

Kuushou stood, tired of dealing with this crude imitation of his sister. "Thank you for the coffee," he said politely, then turned and headed for the door.

"Naruto…," Inoichi said, his voice soft.

Kuushou just waved his hand dismissively. "Like you said, it's different." He hid a small smirk as he left the room – given how Inoichi was behaving the man would likely seek him out to apologize again at some point relatively soon, which would be the perfect opportunity to extract something useful out of him. The man was highly placed in Konoha's ninja forces, after all, as well as a member of the Council.

Besides, his time with Inoichi had reminded him of when they first met, and the method by which he had been transferred from ANBU HQ to the Yamanaka residence following the first attack: the _henge no jutsu_.

If the people of this village didn't like Naruto, then let them deal with a complete stranger.

* * *

><p>Kuushou, disguised as a brown-haired brown-eyed fifteen year old, continued flipping through the book on Konoha's history. On first examination the overall history of the village had seemed similar to his own world, until he stumbled across the chapter titled, "The Valley of the End".<p>

… the what?

The chapter had included a map with the eponymous landmark highlighted clearly, but that only served to confuse him even more; there was no such valley in his world. Apparently Hashirama Senju, the only known user of the Wood-Release bloodline and Madara Uchiha, who had obtained the "ultimate form" of the sharingan, had fought over the title of Hokage and control of Konoha, and the Valley of the End marked the site of their battle.

Kuushou wasn't sure what "the ultimate form" referred to, but it seemed to be distinct from a fully matured sharingan. He'd never heard mention of it in his own world, but then Madara Uchiha hadn't fought the Shodaime in his world either. Shrugging, he continued reading.

The battle was so fierce that it literally rent the earth apart, especially when Madara Uchiha summoned and controlled the-

Kuushou snarled, the book twisting in his hands. This book dared claim that he would obey the whims of some insignificant human. The very thought was ludicrous; it was far more likely that he had happened across the battle and decided to attack one of the ninja involved. Then again, if that were the case neither would have survived – it _would_ explain the damage to the landscape, however.

His snarl turned into a frown as he noted the date. The battle had taken place nearly seventy years ago, which did not match up at all with the timing for his banishment and return.

Something was wrong with all of this.

* * *

><p>Two days later, days he had spent holed up in the library familiarizing himself with the differences between this world and his own, Kuushou found himself once again in the Hokage's office for another meeting.<p>

"Hello, Naruto-kun," the Hokage said. The old man seemed to have aged several years since they last met. His face was haggard and he looked very pale.

"Hey, Hokage-jiji," Kuushou replied. The Hokage seemed to perk up slightly at that.

"I understand that you have been spending a lot of time in the library," the Hokage began. "Have you found anything interesting?"

Kuushou raised one hand in the air and waved it back and forth slightly. "Somewhat," he replied. "I was rather surprised to find that Madara Uchiha had challenged the Shodaime for control of the village. That didn't happen in my world."

The Hokage just nodded thoughtfully. "His challenge failed in this world, so perhaps he was a little wiser or more cautious in your world."

"Perhaps," Kuushou shrugged. "The book also mentioned an 'ultimate form' of the sharingan... what is that?"

"Ah," the Hokage said, smiling slightly. "Supposedly the sharingan can improve beyond the three tomoe version that most consider the bloodline's fully matured state. No one other than Madara Uchiha has ever been reported to do so, however, so it was likely something unique to him or an exaggeration with no true basis in reality." His expression darkened a little as he spoke, but his tone remained light and conversational.

Kuushou hummed thoughtfully, but made no further comment.

The Hokage sighed, and leaned forward in his seat slightly. "I am told that you have spent the last two days constantly under a henge," the old man said. "May I ask why that is?"

Kuushou just shrugged. "It seemed easier if no one could recognize me as this world's Naruto," he said simply.

The old man sagged, his visage going from old to positively ancient. "I see," was all he said, however.

After a few seconds, the Hokage shook off whatever odd mood he was in and straightened once again. "The reason I asked you to meet with me," he said, "regards your placement within Konoha's forces. I have considered your request and various suggestions, but I feel that I need more information before I can make a final decision. To that end, I have arranged something of an exhibition that will allow me to get a firmer grasp on your skills."

"Alright," Kuushou replied, not really caring one way or another. "When?"

"We can begin in twenty minutes, if you are ready."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Here be chapter the second!**

**More minor revisions, the most significant being some changes to Koharu and Homura's depiction. I decided I was falling into the fanon trap of making them outright hate/despise Naruto for no real reason and adjusted the scene. Their overall actions remain the same, but how they are described is more neutral and, hopefully, conveys that they simply have very little respect for him (which I think is easily justified from a canon basis). Their concerns expressed in the scene are - from a certain point of view - entirely valid, after all.**

**The rest of what I have posted in the Filing Cabinet should break fairly neatly into two chapters, and I already have half of another chapter written. I'll try to get those posted by this weekend at the latest.  
><strong>

**As always, thanks for reading and thanks for all the reviews!  
><strong>


	3. The Generation Gap

"The first test regards your knowledge of seals," the Hokage said, motioning to the table placed nearby. "Please craft one sealing scroll, one exploding tag, and one other seal of your choice. You have thirty minutes."

Kuushou stared at him for a long moment, one eyebrow raised, before shaking his head and moving over to the table. Thirty minutes to craft three standard tags was far too much time. It seemed they were still underestimating his skill; or, worse, in this world that was how long they expected it to take.

The training ground they had gathered in – thirteen, if he remembered correctly – was relatively isolated and rarely used as it had no distinctive features and contained outdated equipment. It was currently half-filled with various spectators and ninja, ranging from Konoha's Council – which, in a change that thoroughly confused Kuushou when he had read about it, consisted solely of the Hokage's two teammates – to two chuunin that he didn't recognize to a med-nin he vaguely recalled from his time at the hospital. There were several ANBU scattered around, and he could pick out Kakashi Hatake's signature nearby as well.

Several clan heads were also in attendance, including Inoichi Yamanaka, Hiashi Hyuuga, and Shikaku Nara, who was the Jounin Commander in this world as well. The people observing this so-called exhibition were currently talking quietly amongst themselves and paying little attention to him other than the occasional glance to judge his progress.

He arranged a piece of chakra paper on the table, picked up a brush, then paused.

"This isn't chakra ink," he said.

"What do you mean, Naruto-kun?" the Hokage asked curiously, turning away from his conversation.

Kuushou frowned. "I mean exactly what I said. This is normal ink, not chakra ink."

The Hokage moved over to the table and picked up the inkwell, then frowned. "You are correct," he said, annoyed. He turned to the chuunin standing nearby. "Why were the proper materials not prepared?"

"It was a test, Hiruzen," Koharu interjected smoothly. "If he couldn't recognize the difference between normal ink and chakra ink, then he clearly isn't as skilled as he claims."

Kuushou waited for the Hokage to verbally reprimand his teammate for changing the test without his consent... but no such thing happened. Instead, the Hokage frowned briefly, then turned back to the chuunin.

"I trust you have the ink?" he asked.

The chuunin quickly nodded and placed another bottle on the table. Kuushou picked it up and confirmed that it was, in fact, chakra ink.

With that done, he focused on crafting the required seals. His hands moved in deft, graceful strokes as he created the storage seal with practiced ease. It was such a simple seal compared to some of the arrays he had studied – it required neither signature-recognition nor proximity arrays as security seals did. The version he personally preferred added durability and water-proofing arrays as well as a larger storage capacity, but even that was less complex than the most basic security seals.

Thirty-seven seconds after he first set brush to paper, he finished the seal with a small flourish; he had opted to create the tag he preferred, and would ask to keep the tag and sealing supplies after the test was concluded.

He pulled over the next sheet of paper and began working on the exploding tag. These were even simpler to create: a chakra storage array linked to a conversion array, chakra-triggered timer array, chakra-triggered adhesion array, and done. That one only took fourteen seconds. He snorted softly, amused; he could have done it even faster if he had left off the adhesion array, which technically wasn't required for the most basic version of the exploding tag.

He paused then, tapping the handle of the brush against his chin thoughtfully. There were a number of seals he could create at this point, but they would undoubtedly want something that could be demonstrated immediately. Once he had decided, he pulled over the next sheet of paper and began, finishing with another flourish thirty-one seconds later.

He turned around to inform the Hokage that he was finished, only to find the crowd staring at him silently. Raising an eyebrow curiously, he calmly announced, "Done."

"That was... very quick, Naruto-kun," the Hokage said.

"It's not like you asked for anything complicated."

He heard the chuunin behind him make a strangled sound and noted several surprised looks among those watching; Inoichi looked proud, oddly enough.

"Well then, I suppose we should verify that they were crafted correctly," Homura intoned, adjusting his glasses slightly.

"Yes, sir," the chuunin next to the table said. Kuushou turned around to observe as the ninja picked up the three papers, shuffling through them slowly and squinting at the fine lines that made up the arrays. He kept comparing them to sheets he had brought with him, which Kuushou noted contained a detailed explanation of the most basic versions of the sealing scroll and exploding tag.

"None of these are right," he finally announced. Somehow, Kuushou wasn't surprised to find that the chuunin assigned to test his sealing knowledge didn't actually have any knowledge of his own.

"Stop, stop," Kuushou said quickly, turning back to the Hokage. "Did he graduate after the Academy reforms?"

The Hokage blinked, then nodded.

"Yeah..., I don't think so," he said, snatching the seals out of the chuunin's hands. "These aren't the most basic versions possible, which is what you're comparing them to. Allow me to demonstrate that these are, in fact, crafted correctly. First, the storage seal."

With a few deft movements he had placed the storage seal on the table and moved the sealing brush and ink, as well as the rest of the paper on top of it. A tiny puff of smoke later and the materials had vanished. Another puff, and they were back.

"Second, the exploding tag."

He jogged across the field, slapping it on a tree of the far side of the clearing. A small flare of chakra later and he darted back across the field, moving much more quickly.

"Why did you place it that far-" the chuunin began to ask snidely, clearly annoyed at having his judgment questioned by a genin.

A resounding boom echoed throughout the clearing as the tag detonated. The shockwave hit a moment later, ruffling clothing and hair and causing the ninja to instinctively crouch into defensive stances. A few seconds after that and bits of debris began to rain down into the clearing.

The tree was simply gone.

"Third – and a personal favorite – the paralysis tag."

"Wha-" the chuunin started, only to find the tag being pressed against his forehead. A moment later he had collapsed to the ground limply.

"So," Kuushou asked rhetorically, "which one of those did I mess up again?" He then turned back to the Hokage, who looked oddly pleased. "What's next?"

"Release him this instant!" Koharu barked. "You are assaulting a Konoha ninja!"

"You mean he wasn't there to help with the demonstration?" Kuushou asked, sounding genuinely surprised. "He obviously wasn't there for his sealing knowledge, though that does make me wonder why he was the one judging the seals... Besides, that tag isn't a constant application type. It's a one-shot that will wear off in an hour or so."

He noted that Danzo had that tiny little smirk on his face again, but his attention was distracted by Inoichi, who appeared to be having a coughing fit. He wasn't fooling anybody though, judging by the sour looks on Koharu and Homura's faces or the smirk on Shikaku's.

"So anyway, what's next?"

The Hokage was definitely smiling now. "We'll be testing your medical knowledge next."

Kuushou turned to look at the chuunin again. The paralyzed ninja's eyes – the only thing he could move at the moment – widened dramatically.

"Well, if he's not the test dummy, then how am I doing that?"

The med-nin stepped forward. "Since it is not feasible to give you a live patient to work on, I will be asking you a series of questions to establish what you know, and outlining a few injuries that you will then describe how to treat." Her tone was bored, and she had a dubious expression on her face that clearly said she expected nothing to come of this.

Twenty minutes later, she had lost track of the exam entirely and was picking his brain for the details of a particular technique he had casually mentioned.

"So _that's _how you prevent chakra buildup while isolating a limb for treatment. We had a case recently where we nearly lost the leg entirely because we had to repeatedly stop surgery to allow the excess chakra to filter back through the wounded leg. Who taught you how to do that?"

"Shi-"

The Hokage coughed loudly, interrupting their conversation. "I think that is sufficient to establish his credentials, don't you?"

"Credentials? Whoever trained this boy is an absolute genius! When can he start?"

"Pardon?" the Hokage asked.

"He's working at the hospital, isn't he? It would be a crime to let someone like him get away!"

"That is under consideration," the Hokage said vaguely. "Thank you for your time, that concludes your part in these proceedings."

The med-nin huffed indignantly, but – after repeated threats that she would hunt Naruto down herself if need be – finally left the clearing.

"Well then, let's move on to the combat portion, shall we?" the Hokage said happily.

The other chuunin moved into the middle of the clearing, stretching his arms slightly and twisting his body to loosen up.

"Rules?" Kuushou asked, moving to join the chuunin.

"Any non-lethal attacks are allowed. Your performance will be judged according to how long you last against your opponent."

Kuushou paused, turning back to face the Hokage. "When did _this _one graduate?"

The Hokage grimaced. "Four years ago."

Kuushou just sighed and shook his head. "Start whenever," he said dismissively, not even bothering to get into a stance.

His chuunin opponent scowled at being taken so lightly. When the Hokage called for the match to start, the chuunin rushed forward, arm raised to deliver a strong blow to the arrogant blonde who was facing him.

Two seconds later, the chuunin was on the ground gasping for air. One second after that, and he had been rendered completely unconscious.

Kuushou turned to look at the gathered crowd, finding that everyone, even the Hokage, looked slightly stunned at the ease with which he had taken out the chuunin.

Everyone, that is, but Danzo.

"Sarutobi," the old man said, hobbling forward slightly. "If you don't mind, there's someone I have in mind that might make a more appropriate opponent for the boy."

The Hokage turned to look at the crippled ninja, raising one eyebrow curiously.

"Who would that be?"

"One of the ninja I sponsored through the Academy," Danzo replied, making a subtle motion with his hand. A moment later there was someone kneeling next to him, a slim, pale boy who appeared roughly twelve years old. He wore a short black jacket and black pants and had a small backpack. He also had a small sword attached to his back, the hilt sticking up over his shoulder.

"That's a good idea," Homura said, adjusting his glasses once again. "That battle wasn't sufficient to get a true measure of the boy's skill. The chuunin allowed himself to be taunted into attacking recklessly, nothing more."

The Hokage glanced in his direction, and Kuushou just shrugged. Honestly, he was rather curious about what Danzo was up to – it was becoming obvious that the old man had a lot of influence in Konoha, which made it that much stranger that Kuushou had never once heard of the man before.

"Very well then," the Hokage said slowly. "Same rules as before."

Kuushou faced off in the middle of the clearing once again, staring at the expressionless boy across from him. This was another chakra signature he didn't recognize, and he certainly hadn't gone to the Academy with him. There seemed to be quite a few people popping up that seemingly didn't exist in his own world.

"Begin!" the Hokage called out.

Kuushou waited for his opponent to make the first move, but it seemed his opponent was doing the same. After a few seconds, he saw the boy's hand lift towards his sword. Then he felt the precisely controlled surge of chakra and his eyes widened.

Shoving chakra into his limbs, he twisted sideways, narrowly avoiding the blade as it sliced through the air. His own hands blurred in a counterattack, trying to grab the boy's arm with one hand while the other aimed towards his elbow, intending to break the boy's dominant arm.

Instead he found a knee planted in his stomach and a kunai stabbing through his hand. He let himself get thrown backwards, rolling quickly to his feet after he landed. His opponent was already charging forward, blade held close to his body. Each step the boy took was balanced and sure, and his movement was smooth.

Kuushou found himself grinning; even among the Clan Kids there was no one who pressed him quite like this. There was always a certain reticence in their spars, especially as they grew older. They each knew techniques that could kill or maim all too easily, and they held themselves to certain limits even as they pushed each other harder and harder.

This boy had no such limits. That first attack may not have killed him, but it would have sliced deeply into his shoulder. Even the kunai sticking out of his hand, a serious but hardly fatal injury, was something the other Clan Kids would never have done.

When the pale boy was close enough, Kuushou quickly ripped the kunai out of his hand and flung it in one smooth motion, then darted forward. The boy responded well, knocking the kunai out of the air with his blade, but he wasn't entirely prepared for Kuushou's attack.

Kuushou landed a punch in the boy's stomach and a kick to the side of his knee. The sword swung back in his direction, but he slipped under it, twisting his body harshly, and a moment later he was behind his opponent. Another kick to the same knee had the boy stumbling, but the sword was jabbing backwards with shocking speed and Kuushou had to jump away to avoid being impaled. By the time he had landed the boy was back on his feet, sword held before him defensively.

The boy's expression hadn't changed the entire battle.

Realizing he was likely outmatched in melee, especially given how skillfully the boy was wielding that _tanto_, Kuushou raised his hands before him and prepared to begin adding ninjutsu to his assault.

"Enough!" the Hokage barked. The pale boy immediately lowered his blade and turned to face the Hokage, and Kuushou reluctantly dropped his hands as well. Figures that the old man would end the fight just as he was about to have some fun.

"ANBU, take Naruto to the hospital to get his wound treated."

"Why?" Kuushou asked, even as he felt an ANBU appear beside him. "I've already taken care of it."

"What?" the Hokage spluttered.

Kuushou wiped the remaining blood off on his orange pants and held up the previously injured hand. Sure enough, there was no gaping hole where the kunai had stabbed through it. In fact, there was no sign of injury at all.

* * *

><p>After the end of the evaluation, Kuushou had returned to the Hokage's office where he now sat, waiting impatiently for the Hokage to get to the point.<p>

"I must admit, Naruto-kun, that I had not expected something that... impressive. Your ability to heal yourself even in the heat of battle was particularly surprising. I did note, however, that your taijutsu, while effective, was not nearly as polished as your other skills."

Kuushou shrugged; it was true enough, after all. He was stronger and faster than most of his peers – and apparently most of the older ninja in this world as well, judging by the chuunin he faced – but against a true taijutsu specialist he inevitably found himself outmatched. Taijutsu required a level of familiarity and control over one's own body that he could not manage – and, given his unique circumstances, he likely never would, as the body in question was not his own.

He wasn't particularly concerned about it, though. If he found himself seriously threatened by someone who fought that close to him, he merely needed to manifest his youki and the threat would be easily dealt with.

"Given what I've seen today, I think I have a solution to your concerns," the Hokage said.

Kuushou straightened in his seat. It seemed the old man was going to place him somewhere other than on a genin team after all.

"There are two parts to this. For the first part, I would like you to train your fellow graduates in one-on-one sessions to increase their skills and give them experience fighting someone of your caliber. I believe you mentioned the group known as the Clan Kids... you would know better than anyone what those kids are truly capable of, and I want you to help bring them up to that level."

Kuushou frowned. "That's even worse than being on a genin team," he pointed out.

"For the second part," the Hokage continued, "you will be given a provisional promotion to chuunin and paired with another ninja who will take missions with you and evaluate you in the field. Depending on your performance both teaching and in the field, I will fully promote you to chuunin and allow you to participate in the tokubetsu jounin trials at your discretion."

Kuushou leaned back in his chair, considering the offer. It sounded good on the surface, but the details were actually incredibly vague and essentially allowed the Hokage to do as he wished.

"Let's talk specifics," Kuushou responded. "I will do three-hour sessions twice a day four days a week, one for each of the Clan Kids. Each session will count as a C-rank mission with matching pay. I will continue those sessions until you feel satisfied _or _until each of them has reached B-rank combat ability, at which point I may continue or cease the sessions as I see fit. I also reserve the right to stop the training sessions if I feel the student is not putting forth their best effort or is refusing to listen to me."

"Four hour sessions, paid as a D-rank," the Hokage replied, grinning slightly. "You also have to bring concerns about the student's attitude to me first, and keep trying for at least four sessions."

"One hour sessions, four a day," Kuushou shot back. If he was going to stay in Konoha, he definitely wasn't going to do so in that shitty apartment. He also needed clothing, equipment, supplies... everything, basically, and a lot of it was quite expensive as he refused to compromise on quality.

"Four hour sessions, twice a day, C-rank pay per week."

Kuushou weighed that mentally. The average C-rank was worth twenty D-ranks, but eight hours a day for four days would tie up a lot of his time. On the other hand, if the kids were performing exercises or practicing techniques it wasn't like he couldn't study other materials or work on his own skills.

"C-rank pay every two days," he finally replied.

The Hokage's smile widened. "Deal."

"How are you going to handle the scheduling with their duties as genin?"

"I've already got that covered," the Hokage replied smugly. "Each team traditionally has three days off each week if they aren't away on a mission, and the training sessions will be scheduled on those days."

Kuushou nodded, satisfied with that arrangement for now. "Now then, about my own missions. Obviously if I'm going to be teaching the Clan Kids that means I can't take a lot of long-term missions on my own. I would also have to match my schedule with whatever observer you have in mind, which makes things even harder."

The Hokage nodded again. "As for your observer," he said, "I had planned to assign them an A-rank mission to evaluate you on your own missions, which would eliminate any scheduling issues. The observer would also get half of your mission pay for the duration of the evaluation, which would make up for the longer than normal duration of the A-rank."

Kuushou scoffed. "Half? If I'm going to be doing missions, I'll be getting _all _of my pay. You can pay them for the mission separately."

"It may be necessary for the observer to step-in should things get out of hand, which means you aren't really performing the mission by yourself."

"_If _that should happen, you can take a quarter of my pay to compensate them. Otherwise, all of it goes to me."

The Hokage nodded. "Fair enough."

"Now, what happens if my observer is unable to go on missions for some reason? I'm not going to twiddle my thumbs doing nothing just because they aren't around."

"Should that happen, you can request another observer for a specific mission. I imagine most of the ninja eligible would view it as a pretty easy mission on their part."

"I can accept that," Kuushou said. "As for my advancement to full chuunin, I will be promoted after completing five C-ranks and a single B-rank."

"Fifteen and three," the Hokage countered.

"Five and two. Keep in mind that these will be effectively solo missions."

"Ten and two."

"... with the option to treat additional B-ranks as three C-ranks."

"And the observer makes the call as to whether you are prepared for the B-ranks," the Hokage said firmly.

Kuushou frowned. "Only if they can't veto all B-ranks indefinitely."

"If you think they are intentionally holding you back, you may bring it up with me and I will look into it. If I find that to be the case, I will assign you an appropriate B-rank personally."

"Acceptable," Kuushou said finally. "I suppose the only question left is... who is the observer you had in mind?"

The Hokage pulled a slim folder out of his desk and handed it across. "A tokubetsu jounin named Anko Mitarashi. I believe you've met," he added, a small smirk on his face.

* * *

><p>The Hokage was true to his word, Kuushou found, as less than two hours later he was meeting his "observer" in order to begin his first C-rank mission. The Hokage had also been persuaded to include a set of C-rank ninja gear, so Kuushou was finally equipped with a set of kunai, ninja wire, rations, and all the other odds and ends that made up the basic ninja field pack. It was still a far cry from what he normally carried, but much better than what Naruto had kept in his apartment.<p>

Kuushou had spent his time crafting a wide variety of seals, using up all of the ink and paper he had available. He now had storage scrolls, a small set of exploding tags, paralysis seals, a couple of basic security seals, three sets of proximity tags, and one chakra dampening tag.

His decision to take over one of the small, unoccupied tables around the edge of the mission office had also paid off. One of Konoha's rookie seal crafters had seen him at work and asked to study the storage scroll. This particular chuunin apparently had enough humility that he didn't care if he was learning from a ninja several years his junior. A few minutes of negotiating later and Kuushou had secured a source of free sealing supplies in exchange for a couple of lessons and some sample sealing arrays.

Kuushou was once again stretching his senses trying to identify the ninja he had known in his own world that appeared to be missing in this one. The Hokage had explained the situation with Tsunade and her apprentice, but Kuushou hadn't dared ask about Dragon, as he had no way of explaining how he knew the ANBU Commander was missing. Hinata's mother appeared to be absent as well, leaving him to wonder if they had died during his attack in this world.

"So, brat, I hear you think you're hot shit," Anko said as she approached. Kuushou had to give credit to the Hokage for his choice – Anko was one of the few who knew that he was not this world's Naruto, which would simplify their relationship immensely.

That didn't mean she couldn't be incredibly grating at times, especially when she put her mind to it. He hadn't interacted with her often prior to this, but their meetings had been... memorable.

"What mission are we taking first?" Kuushou asked, ignoring Anko's taunt.

She smirked slightly, then held up a green scroll tied with a blue ribbon. "Border check-in, quick and dirty," she responded. "We take messages and supplies from here, run to the border, deliver them, get any messages they want to send, run back. Think you can handle it?"

Kuushou just raised an eyebrow. "Do I need to be awake for this?"

Anko barked a laugh and shoved him towards the door. "Not bad, brat. We'll see if you can back that mouth of yours up."

* * *

><p>"Are we the only ones working the entire fucking border?" Kuushou shouted as he danced around a lance of water and retaliated with a kunai that lodged in the Kiri missing-nin's throat.<p>

"-son of a fucking goddamn goat-sucking-" Anko continued to yell as she directed the snakes she had called up from somewhere to harass their other opponents while she made short work of an Iwa missing-nin.

"I know standards have slipped, but you'd think something as simple as 'don't let them cross that line' wouldn't be so hard, right?"

"-two-bit back-stabbing scab-covered leech-infested-"

Kuushou's eye twitched as he sensed another missing-nin closing in from the south.

The two of them had reached the border yesterday, only to quickly discover that something was wrong. The guards at the camp they were supposed to report to had hastily vacated the area at least an hour before their arrival, though not before killing a few missing-nin.

Anko had insisted on tracking down the missing team to see if they needed support, but that plan lasted all of thirty minutes before they found themselves fighting a group of bandits, then low-ranking missing-nin, then _more _bandits. It had taken nearly an hour before they had managed to figure out that word had gotten out about the theft of the Forbidden Scroll and that _everyone _wanted to get their hands on it.

To make matters worse, all of the would-be thieves apparently felt that any battle was a sure sign that _that _group had the Forbidden Scroll and that they merely needed to kill everyone else to claim it.

Anko had initially insisted that he stay back and allow her to handle any ninja they wound up facing – that had lasted until she found herself facing off against seven different missing-nin from three different groups, all of them apparently attracted by the chakra being thrown around.

She hadn't actually asked for help even then – nor, if Kuushou was honest, did she really need it given the caliber of her opponents – but she certainly hadn't complained when his Earth Style: Skewering Spire technique took out two of the ninja attempting to flank her. She hadn't said a word about him staying out of the battles after that.

There had been lulls, of course; sometimes they didn't have to fight anyone for several hours. Inevitably, however, either he or Anko would detect another group trying to sneak across the border. It was during the first lull that they found the slaughtered remains of the border patrol they were supposed to meet, the ninja stabbed by a seemingly endless number of senbon needles.

Anko's banter had stopped at that point, vanishing to reveal a shockingly serious persona that Kuushou wouldn't have believed her capable of. She had swept over the scene of the battle swiftly and thoroughly, then called up two of her snakes. She had paused, staring at him contemplatively for several seconds, before nodding to herself and sending one snake out of the clearing to follow the trail and the other towards Konoha.

Kuushou's respect for the kunoichi had gone up several notches once they had caught up with the ninja who had killed the patrol.

_Kuushou and Anko sat high in the trees above the clearing, stealthily observing the three ninja who were making camp below. They appeared to be Ame missing-nin judging by their forehead protectors and gear. Kuushou signaled to her using ANBU code, startling the tokubetsu jounin slightly before she responded in kind._

Attack, Plan, Question, _he signed._

Wait, Sleep, _she replied. A moment later she added another sign, her movements sharp and emphatic: _Mine.

_They continued to wait until two of the ninja had retired to their bedrolls and only one remained awake to patrol the clearing. Anko shimmied down the tree quickly and silently, using absolutely no chakra to betray her presence as she did so. _

_She waited for several minutes, silent and still, for the patrolling ninja to move closer to her. Once he was in range, she struck, plunging a senbon deep into the ninja's neck then carefully easing the suddenly limp body to the ground._

_Kuushou was surprised to find that the ninja was still alive, and initially believed that the woman intended to capture the ninja for interrogation._

_That belief lasted until she had similarly disabled the other two ninja and arranged them all in the middle of the clearing. She stuck each with another senbon and after a few seconds their eyes fluttered open. Their bodies remained still and they made no sound, however._

"_I don't have time to do this properly," Anko said. "We've got a lot of other fish to fry, it seems. Still, I have long enough to make my point."_

_She ran through a series of handseals and a small snake appeared. This one seemed to have scales covering every color in the rainbow and shimmered in the dim light as it coiled around itself._

"_It has been a long time, Anko-sama," the snake hissed quietly._

"_That it has, Itami," she said. She pulled out another senbon, fingering it slowly as she stared at the paralyzed ninja._

"_For your crimes against the village of Konoha, you are hereby sentenced to death," Anko told them. "Execution shall be carried out immediately." She glanced at the snake coiled at her feet. "Bite each of them once, in the foot."_

"_As you wish, Anko-sama," the snake hissed before slithering forward. After the snake had administered the bite, Anko stuck each of the ninja with the senbon._

"_You bitch," one of the ninja growled as he began to regain control of his limbs, "I'm going to kill you for this."_

"_Why did you release them?" asked Kuushou curiously._

_Anko's eyes were dark as she stared at them, unconcerned as they slowly struggled to their feet. "So I could hear them scream," was her answer._

_A moment later, the ninja doubled over and an agonized yell tore its way out of their throats. They collapsed to the ground, rolling back and forth and clawing at their own bodies. It did not end quickly, either: one decided to stab himself rather than endure the pain; another expired as the convulsions wracking his body ended up snapping his neck, and the third lasted for nearly ten minutes, his cries growing weaker and weaker until he was finally reduced to feeble twitches and then nothing._

"_Don't fuck with Konoha," Anko spat once the last of them had stopped moving._

Her viciousness in reacting to threats was almost inspiring, and reminded him of his own responses at times; she seemed quite loyal to Konoha, however, which was a shame.

After that she had returned to her previous persona and they had tracked down as many of the bandit groups and missing-nin as they could. They had definitely stayed longer than their mission called for, but they had been far from idle. During the first day they had taken out three more bandit groups and an even dozen missing-nin, the majority of them C-rank but with two B-rank mixed in.

They had spent the night in the wilderness, taking turns keeping watch and remaining wary of even more missing-nin attempting to enter the Land of Fire. Kuushou didn't particularly care either way, but this mission was proving to be very useful in impressing his observer and would likely remove any lingering doubts as to his abilities. The night had passed without incident, but the next day had revealed that the previous encounters were only the leading wave of opportunistic bandits and ninja scouring the Land of Fire for any sign of the Forbidden Scroll.

And now they were in the middle of an increasingly absurd battle as ninja and bandits targeted them and each other in an attempt to seize control of an object that wasn't even there. None of them were particularly skilled or dangerous, but sheer numbers and and chaos sufficed where individual merit did not. With yet another ninja charging in to join the battle, Kuushou had had enough.

He dispatched the closest enemy to give himself time to prepare, then knelt down and gathered up a handful of earth. His chakra was hard at work condensing and hardening the dirt as he rapidly repeated the gesture several more times. Once he was satisfied, he shoved the pellets into his mouth and swallowed them.

"-maggot-ridden pathetic shriveled excuses for ninja who couldn't-"

"Duck," Kuushou said almost lazily before taking a deep breath. Inside his body he was hard at work compressing the air he was drawing in and reinforcing his body to properly support what he was about to do.

Anko didn't bother to question him, instead kicking her opponent away and dropping to the ground.

A series of sharp cracks filled the air followed a moment later by a high-pitched whistling sound. All across the battlefield bandits and ninja alike found themselves struggling to adjust to the new holes their bodies had acquired and failing miserably - nearly a quarter of the enemy collapsed following Kuushou's rapid barrage.

Unfortunately, the ones who were not targeted turned their attention to the greatest threat. An understanding seemed to pass between the many different groups involved in the battle, and as one they all focused their attacks on the Konoha ninja.

"Great plan," Anko said sarcastically. "Got any other brilliant ideas?"

Instead of answering, Kuushou stepped closer to Anko and slapped his hands on the ground. A dome of earth rapidly formed around them, intercepting kunai and arrows aimed at the two of them.

"And now we're trapped," Anko observed idly. "I trust that's not all of it?"

"Hardly," Kuushou said, focusing. He made sure to run through handseals this time to maintain appearances; the other jutsu he could claim to have enough experience with, but not this one.

"Earth Style: Thundering Rampart," he intoned, once more placing his hands on the ground. His entire body began to radiate chakra as he poured more and more power into the technique.

Anko eyes narrowed for a moment as she recalled everything she knew about that jutsu, then widened when she took in the amount of chakra he was giving off. The jutsu, despite the grandiose name, was actually C-rank, and simply converted a earthen surface into crude stone kunai and launched them at a density and speed proportional to the chakra used in the technique. With the amount he was pushing into it, though...

"That'll work," she muttered lowly before sinking into the ground. "I'll take care of anyone that's left once you're done," she said, then submerged completely.

Kuushou grinned. He could definitely get used to working with Anko – even when he pulled out something that should be unexpected, she just took it in stride and adjusted her own tactics to match.

With another surge of chakra, he released the jutsu and the dome exploded outwards into thousands of sharpened rock spikes. The enemies who had surrounded the dome and were trying to force their way in were devastated by the attack, those closest to the dome getting ripped apart entirely while those further back were merely impaled several times over.

Roughly fifty feet out the attackers had enough time to react or at least had a chance to survive. Of course, Anko made short work of the remaining ninja when she popped out of the ground next to them while they were still trying to recover. Kuushou didn't waste any time either, charging into the fray to finish off the few remaining opponents who had survived that onslaught.

A few seconds later the battlefield was completely still.

Anko began to move around the battlefield, systematically beheading the fallen ninja and bandits and sealing their heads into various scrolls. Kuushou mirrored her actions on the other side of the battlefield, realizing she was making sure all of their enemies were actually defeated as well as preparing to claim any bounties any of them may have had.

They met in the middle of the field, each covered in blood but without any significant injuries of their own.

"Not bad, blondie," Anko said, grinning at him.

"Not brat?" Kuushou asked sarcastically.

"Nah, a brat would have been puking their guts out or cowering behind a tree somewhere."

Kuushou chuckled for a moment, surveying the blood-stained battlefield around them. "Quick and dirty mission, eh?"

"Well... it was dirty at least, right?"

"Definitely that," Kuushou paused then, his head cocked to the side. "What rank would you say this mission qualifies as now?"

"Definitely A, even if most of the enemy ninja were pathetic..." she trailed off, eyes widening as she realized why he was asking. Then she burst out laughing, Kuushou joining her after a moment.

Which is how the Konoha reinforcements found them when they arrived a few minutes later.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: More minor revisions, with tweaks to the numbers during the negotiations and a bit of expansion to the flashback. The chapter also breaks in a different place that it does in the Filing Cabinet, mainly because this works just as well to wrap up the chapter and doesn't give me an 8k+ word chapter. I'll have the next chapter up **either **tonight or tomorrow morning.**

**I've decided to use a theme for the chapter titles in this story, and I might be changing up Ramen Days to do the same. Ten internet points if you realized there _was _a theme before reading the previous sentence.  
><strong>

**As always, thanks for reading and thanks for all the reviews!  
><strong>


	4. The Name's The Same

Kuushou walked through the Konoha gates a few hours later, ignoring the shocked and disbelieving looks he was drawing. One item he had neglected to bring on the mission was a change of clothing, so he was still wearing his slightly ripped and much more than slightly blood-stained orange jacket and pants. Anko walked beside him looking fresh as a daisy, arms tucked behind her head and chatting animatedly about the glorious wonders of the dango she was soon to consume.

"Damn, Naruto, what happened? Sharp kunai too much for you?" came the amused remark from Kiba. Despite his taunting words, there was a tinge of concern in his voice. As far as Kuushou knew the Inuzuka had gotten along well enough with Naruto, even if they hadn't exactly been friends.

Kuushou just shrugged in reply. "Just got back from a mission; it turned out to be," he paused, turning to Anko, "dirty, was it?"

Anko's eyes gleamed. "Very, _very _dirty," she purred, slinking up to his side and draping an arm around his shoulders. Kuushou stifled his laughter as Kiba's jaw dropped; it may be a different world but he was still just as amusing to mess with.

"And that bit at the end there," Anko continued, her voice rapturous, "that was just... _explosive_," she crooned, wrapping her arms around herself and swaying in place.

"You... she... but...," Kiba stuttered, his eyes wide.

"I'm hurt," Kuushou said, following Anko's lead, "I thought there were plenty of good bits in the _seventeen hours_ before that."

"Oh, there were," Anko replied, having trouble containing her laughter now, "but none of that quite compared to the... _finale."_

Kuushou took one more look at the poleaxed expression on Kiba's face and lost it, bursting out laughing. Anko followed a moment later, and they ended up leaning on each other for support.

"Ah, screw you," Kiba snapped, realizing that they were messing with him. "Like you could actually get a mission anyway. You were lucky you managed to graduate at all."

Anko sobered quickly, her gaze snapping to Kiba. "Watch yourself, genin," she growled. "Blondie here has shed blood in defense of this village, which is a hell of a lot more than you can say."

"Yeah, right," Kiba said dismissively. "And who are you, anyway?"

Anko's eyes narrowed, but Kuushou waved her off before she could reply. "It's much more amusing if you let him dig his grave first. He'll just keep digging deeper and deeper and deeper, which makes the moment where you shove the dirt on top of him all the sweeter," he said lowly... though not so lowly that Kiba couldn't hear.

Anko's expression cleared, the amused glint returning to her eyes. "I like your style, blondie," she said. "Tell you what, you can treat me to dango."

"You mean you'll treat me to dango," Kuushou corrected as they walked away from Kiba, ignoring the Inuzuka's spluttering.

"I know what I said."

* * *

><p>A few hours later a freshly bathed and fed Kuushou was standing in front of the Hokage along with Anko. The Hokage was currently rubbing his temples with his fingers and sighing.<p>

"Tell me again why you felt it necessary to continue pursuing the enemy, Anko?" the Hokage asked plaintively.

"I made a judgment call in the field, Hokage-sama," Anko replied calmly. "Once we determined that the border patrol had been killed, I dispatched a messenger snake to alert Konoha about what we had found, then focused on tracking down those responsible."

"That's the part I don't understand," the Hokage said. "You had a genin with you and were about to engage an enemy that had taken out a full team of chuunin."

"Naruto had already proven himself in combat by that point, Hokage-sama," Anko said calmly. "I had no qualms about taking him into battle with me."

"What rank would you give his combat ability?" the Hokage asked.

"Triple-B-rank, sir, at least. It could be higher, but we didn't actually fight anyone who would merit it."

"_Really,_" the Hokage said slowly. Kuushou noticed the old man's eyes looking at him appraisingly, but didn't respond.

"Yes, sir. He could still use some polish and refinement, but he has excellent situational awareness and does not hesitate to do what needs to be done. His use of ninjutsu coupled with his reserves is... well, lethal."

"I see," the Hokage said slowly. "And what happened when you found the group responsible?" he continued.

"Executed in the field, sir."

"Was it not possible to capture them?"

"I do not believe so, sir," Anko said firmly. "Given that the border had been essentially overrun, I deemed the area to be hostile and had no compelling reason to take prisoners under those circumstances."

"Why did you not return directly to Konoha after that?"

"I had already sent a message to apprise Konoha of our situation. After taking Naruto's combat ability into account, I believed we would be of more use neutralizing any enemy forces who attempted to enter the Land of Fire."

The Hokage sighed again. "I can't argue with the results," he said finally. "Initial reports indicate that your section of the border had the lowest number of successful incursions, and clearly both yourself and Naruto-kun survived the experience.

"I will credit both of you with a successful A-rank defense mission in addition to the C-rank you initially took," the Hokage continued. "For Naruto-kun, I will treat that as the two required B-ranks for his full promotion, which just leaves his C-ranks."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama," both Anko and Kuushou replied.

"Unless there is anything else, you are dismissed."

"Actually, Hokage-jiji," Kuushou said quickly, shifting to a more informal tone, "there is one thing. What is the normal mission level to kill or capture a missing-nin?"

"It depends on the rank of the missing-nin," the Hokage said slowly. "An A-rank missing-nin would equate to a A-rank mission, and so on."

"In that case, I would like to turn in all of the bounties I acquired in the course of the mission now."

The Hokage's face was torn between amused and chagrined. "How many would that be, exactly?"

"Based on the latest copy of the Bingo Book, seven C-rank missing-nin and two B-rank missing-nin."

The Hokage just sighed again, while Anko burst out laughing and clapped him on the shoulder. "Congrats on the promotion, blondie!" she chuckled. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to get rid of me!"

* * *

><p>Armed with a sudden excess of cash, Kuushou had acquired much better and more thorough equipment along with a change of clothing. The black shirt and black pants topped by his new chuunin flak vest also had the side effect of rendering him almost completely unrecognizable, if the lack of reaction he received as he moved around the village was anything to go by. Apparently the old Naruto had worn the orange clothing so long that people didn't think about what he looked like wearing something else.<p>

That had also proven useful in acquiring different lodgings, as he had already moved into an apartment complex in the Shinobi District, one that was located only a few blocks away from the Yamanaka's house.

Some people could still recognize him easily enough, though, Kuushou noted sourly as he consumed another bowl of ramen; sitting next to him was the med-nin who had administered his test during the Hokage's evaluation. She had proven most tenacious about hounding him to come work for the hospital while simultaneously pulling yet more medical knowledge out of his head.

"I had the opportunity to try the technique you described on a patient yesterday," the woman, Mareko, said. "It worked perfectly, and I had to explain to the other surgeons that I hadn't come up with the technique myself. Now all of them want to meet you, so you really should stop by the hospital soon. Think of all the lives you could save with what you know and could teach us!"

Teuchi just looked on, a bemused smile on his face as he served up another bowl of ramen. Kuushou hadn't volunteered an explanation as to why he knew so much all of a sudden, and Teuchi hadn't asked.

"I'm saving lives out in the field as well," Kuushou pointed out. "The presence of a combat medic raises the survival rate of allied ninja sevenfold."

Mareko frowned. "I know that's what Tsunade-sama's research says, but not all med-nin's have her level of combat ability to go with their medical skills. Enemy ninja prioritize med-nin's and you are far more likely to die out in the field."

"Possibly," he began, but was interrupted by a voice from outside the stand.

"Naruto!" Kiba called out as he barged in. "I'm totally calling your bullshit! You didn't even show up for team assignments and your name wasn't called for any of the teams, so there's no way you were out on a mission before!"

"That so?" Kuushou replied, his tone clearly amused. Kiba apparently hadn't noticed his forehead protector or chuunin flak vest yet.

A squeak drew his attention outside the stand, where he saw Hinata blushing furiously and poking her fingers together. Shino stood beside her, his hands tucked into his coat and his face hidden by his collar as always.

Shino at least seemed nearly unchanged from his own world; his reserves were still smaller compared to the one Kuushou had known, but not nearly as much as compared to the others. For that matter Kiba was also closer to what Kuushou would expect, though he seemed more aggressive and impetuous.

Hinata, on the other hand, was astonishingly different. It was fairly obvious that this one also had a crush on him, but it seemed far more debilitating. Her reserves were a fraction of what he had expected, and the feeling of her chakra was... oppressed was the best way he could describe it. Her stutter also seemed to have grown worse here, rather than vanishing almost entirely as it had in his own world.

"A-Are you... alright, Na-Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked slowly, finally managing to look directly at him.

"Of course, Hinata-chan," Kuushou replied. "Why wouldn't I be?" The girl didn't reply, instead squeaking again and ducking her face behind the collar of her large jacket.

"You appear to be wearing a chuunin vest, Uzumaki-san," Shino observed quietly.

"What?" Kiba barked. "That's bullshit!" Akamaru yipped, agreeing with his partner.

"Indeed I am," Kuushou replied, nodding towards Shino. He didn't say anything further.

"Who is this... rude person, Naruto-san?" Mareko asked, sniffing slightly.

"Kiba Inuzuka, a former classmate," Kuushou answered easily, smirking slightly.

"Well, Inuzuka-san, if you don't mind," Mareko bit out, "I was having a discussion with Naruto-san and don't appreciate being interrupted."

"There's no way you're a chuunin!" Kiba snapped, pointing an accusing finger. "You graduated dead last!"

Mareko stood abruptly, reaching into her pocket and setting a few bills on the counter to pay for her meal. "I suppose we shall have to continue this another time, Naruto-san, in more pleasant company. I'll be looking forward to it."

She then turned to Kiba, glaring. "For your information, _Inuzuka-san,_ I took part in Naruto-san's evaluation and can tell you for a fact that he more than earned that rank on the basis of his medical knowledge alone. 'Dead last' indeed," she sniffed, and stalked out.

"But... he did!" Kiba said plaintively.

Kuushou laid a much larger stack of bills on the counter and stood himself. "Just keep digging, Kiba," he said. "I'll see you soon, Shino-san, Hinata-chan."

As he left, he heard Hinata remark, with much less stuttering, that "Naruto-kun seems different."

Neither of her teammates replied.

* * *

><p>Responding to a knock, Kuushou opened the door to his new apartment to find the Hokage waiting patiently at the door, a small wrapped package held in one hand.<p>

"Hey, Hokage-jiji!" Kuushou said, stepping back to clear the doorway. "What brings you here?"

"Hello, Naruto-kun," the Hokage said, smiling. "I heard about your new apartment and thought I might bring you a housewarming present. Congratulations!" he said, handing Kuushou the package.

"Thanks, Hokage-jiji!" Kuushou replied, smiling.

He led the Hokage into the plain living room and, once the old man had taken a seat, opened the package. Inside was a very nice picture frame, but what drew his attention was the picture it contained. In it, the old man was wearing his ceremonial robes and was leaning forward slightly with one hand resting on top of Naruto's head while Naruto was grinning widely and wearing the Hokage's ceremonial hat.

"We took that picture on his sixth birthday," Sarutobi said quietly. "He kept bragging that he would become Hokage one day, and I decided a little harmless indulgence wouldn't hurt." He chuckled. "I may have cemented that goal in his mind at that point, looking back on it." He turned to Kuushou. "Do you share that dream?"

Kuushou placed the picture on the coffee table and took a seat opposite the old man. "Not exactly," he replied. "My dream is about protecting my family and inventing new and amazing seals. I can't say I've given the position of Hokage a great deal of thought."

Sarutobi just nodded, looking vaguely sad. "Do you have any plans to decorate your apartment?" he asked next, breaking the brief silence that had fallen. "You chose a very good place, but it seems a bit... spartan."

Kuushou snorted internally, knowing what the Hokage was referring to. The furniture he had acquired in the apartment - which consisted of a living room, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and a small entrance way - was very basic and strictly functional, with one exception. The walls were painted in a faded white, and the few windows were covered with cloth that could, if one were feeling generous, be considered drapes. The only thing in the apartment that stood out was a large table, topped with immaculately polished marble, that occupied one entire wall of the living room. It wasn't obvious as no tools were present, but he would be using that for crafting seals.

"Not really," he replied, turning his attention back to the Hokage. "Should I?"

"I've always felt that putting a personal touch on my surroundings made me feel a lot more comfortable," Sarutobi said.

"Perhaps," Kuushou shrugged. "There is something that's been bothering me, though, and I would like to ask you about it."

"Of course, Naruto-kun, you can ask me anything," Sarutobi replied immediately.

"Why did you let Mitokado and Utatane get away with that?"

The Hokage frowned, leaning forward in his seat. "I'm not sure I understand what you mean."

"With what they did during my test. They changed up the sealing portion and decided to invalidate the combat portion."

The Hokage's frown deepened. "Koharu and Homura have been my teammates and friends since I graduated from the Academy many, many years ago."

"That didn't answer my question," Kuushou said pointedly.

The Hokage sighed, wiping his hand over his face. "They did have alternative ideas for how the exam should be administered, yes."

"Which they implemented behind your back."

"In a way," the Hokage replied slowly.

"So I ask again, why did you let them get away with that? They essentially undermined your authority, in public, and no one besides myself even seemed to think anything of it."

The Hokage's frown deepened. He opened his mouth to reply, but Kuushou continued before he could.

"Then there was that scene in the office after I first left T-and-I. They just barged into the room without so much as knocking or asking permission, and proceeded to berate you and argue with you in front of me."

"They are my trusted advisers, Naruto-kun, it's expected that they would argue with me. It's because we have differing viewpoints that collectively we can find the best path that none of us individually would see," he said patiently.

Kuushou growled in annoyance. "I know _that_," he said. He wiped a hand over his face as he pondered how to get his point across. He normally wouldn't have bothered with something like this, but the Hokage was incredibly useful in his world and seemed to be one of the few allies he had in this world. He also hadn't overlooked how Koharu and Homura seemed to have little respect for Naruto and that they had very different ideas for how he should be handled, ideas that would likely conflict heavily with his own plans.

"Let me put it this way," Kuushou said finally. "In the few days that I have been here, I have _personally _seen those two act as if their orders carried more weight than your own, I have seen a chuunin under _your command _take direction from them rather than following the orders that came from you, and I have seen them do everything but call you an idiot to your face _while I was in the room. _That doesn't even begin to address what they may be doing that I _haven't_ seen.

"And through all of that, _you did nothing_. What happened to you, jiji?"

The Hokage leaned back in his chair, an odd expression on his face. "How would you have expected me to respond?" he asked.

Kuushou stood from his chair and began pacing about the room, his hands and arms moving in sharp gestures as he spoke. "The jiji I know would never have let it get that far. The jiji I know would have pinned them to the floor with a glare and a sharp word, and they wouldn't have dared do it again. The jiji I know would have suspended any ninja who dared disobey his orders in such a manner."

"Are you suggesting that I should suspend Koharu and Homura?" the Hokage asked curiously. "That seems rather extreme, and they aren't even active ninja anymore."

"That's even worse!" Kuushou cried, whirling to face the Hokage. "What actual, official authority do they have over Konoha ninja?"

"They aren't part of the chain of command," the Hokage replied. "They advise me, nothing more."

"Really?" Kuushou asked. "Because that's not what it looks like to me. And if that's what I see after being here for just a few days, what does it look like to the ninja who have been here their whole lives?"

The Hokage was silent, that odd expression on his face as he studied Kuushou curiously. Kuushou left him to his thoughts, moving back to his seat and waiting for the Hokage's eventual reply.

After a few minutes of contemplative silence, the Hokage slowly stood from the couch and stretched his back slightly. "I will think on what you have said, Naruto-kun," he finally replied. "But for now, I need to get back to work. Do let me know when you decide to decorate, though; I may be able to recommend some good stores."

"I will, Hokage-jiji," Kuushou replied, escorting the Hokage to the door. "And thanks again for the present. He looks... very happy in that picture."

"You're welcome, Naruto-kun," Sarutobi replied, a small smile on his face.

* * *

><p>"So, have you given what I said any thought?" Kuushou asked the next day as he took his seat in the Hokage's office.<p>

"I have, but this meeting is about something else," the Hokage replied. "There have been some... questions raised regarding your suitability to teach the new genin."

"By their jounin-sensei, I assume?"

"Among others, yes," the Hokage replied.

"I can't say I'm surprised, but why am I here? I don't see how I could prove my ability without actually teaching anyone."

"A point I raised," the Hokage noted. "As a compromise, the various interested parties requested to observe the training sessions in order to judge your ability for themselves and make sure that what you are teaching does not conflict with their own plans."

Kuushou twitched, stifling his annoyance. "You want me to pander to an audience while I'm trying to teach kids who already aren't going to take me seriously? If their jounin-sensei is there observing, it's just going to make everything even harder for everyone involved."

"I brought up that point as well, though I phrased it more... delicately," the Hokage said, smirking. "If the observers agree to remain hidden, do you have any objections?"

"Many," Kuushou replied, "but as long as they don't interfere I'll deal with it for a single session."

"That's hardly going to be sufficient to show any real results," the Hokage pointed out.

"No, but that will be more than enough time to establish my credentials, so to speak. I believe that Team Kurenai is scheduled first?"

"That's correct."

"Good. Make sure Kiba gets the first session, and have all of the so-called observers attend. Invite any and everyone you like. In fact," Kuushou said, a wide grin on his face, "I insist. Oh, and don't tell Kiba who his teacher is going to be. I want that to be a surprise."

* * *

><p>Kuushou grinned widely as he entered the training ground set aside for his sessions with the Clan Kids. The Hokage had come through on his promise, and he could sense nearly two dozen ninja gathered to observe Kiba's session. He could only name some of them, but the Hokage was there – along with his two advisers and Danzo – as were Kakashi Hatake, Gai Maito, Anko Mitarashi, Hiashi Hyuuga, Tsume Inuzuka and her partner Kuromaru, Inoichi Yamanaka, Shikaku Nara, Chouza Akimichi and Shibi Aburame.<p>

Oh, this was going to be _fun._

"Naruto?" Kiba asked, confused. "What the hell are you doing here?" The Inuzuka genin was currently standing in the middle of the clearing, looking annoyed, bored, and a little sleepy.

"I'm here for the training session, of course."

"Really? I was told this was going to be one-on-one, and I _know _I got the right place and time. Can't believe they're making us do this crap on our day off."

"Yep, you got the right place and time."

"Then why the hell are you here?"

Kuushou just waited, a grin slowly spreading across his face.

"No, seriously, why are you here?" Kiba repeated, motioning towards him. "Are there two teachers coming or something?"

Kuushou kept waiting, rocking back and forth on his feet as he stifled his laughter.

Kiba just stared at him for several seconds before his hand shot out, pointing incredulously at him. "Oh, _fuck _no. I have had it with your bullshit. There is no _fucking _way that _you, _the Dead Last, are supposed to be teaching me anything."

"And yet, here we are."

"Dude, that shit's not funny. I don't know why the hell they're letting you get away with wearing that chuunin vest, but you had best stop before someone catches you. Hell, I haven't even seen you out on assignments with any of the other genin teams. Did you get kicked out of the ninja force entirely?"

"Is it really _that _hard to believe that I could be a chuunin?" Kuushou asked curiously.

"Yes!" Kiba yelled, throwing his hands up in the air. "Dude, I was shocked you actually managed to graduate at all! I mean, I'm happy for you and all, but, honestly? I didn't think you could hack it. Ever since then you've been acting like you're a complete badass and it's really starting to piss me off."

"Well..., you are honest, I'll give you that," Kuushou said finally. "Before I shove the dirt over you, I'll give you one chance to climb out of that hole you're in."

Kiba looked confused for a second before he rolled his eyes. "You're talking about what you said when you were hanging out with that hot chick near the gates."

"Yes...," Kuushou said lowly, laughter bleeding into his voice. "As a friendly warning, that 'hot chick' was a tokubetsu jounin overseeing my first C-rank mission, and you _really_ don't want to piss her off. Now then, for your one chance – forget everything you think you know about me from the Academy and everything you may have heard about me from other people. I _am _a full-fledged chuunin and thus technically outrank you, and I _am _here to teach you practical combat skills."

Kiba just scoffed. "You never even got close to beating me in sparring," he said dismissively.

Kuushou shrugged. "Can't say I didn't warn you. Now then, first lesson: situational awareness."

Kiba opened his mouth to reply again, but suddenly found that he couldn't breathe as something slammed into his gut. As he folded over he saw another Naruto emerging from the ground, a smirk on his face. Akamaru latched onto this new Naruto's other arm, only to immediately let go and start barking.

Kiba staggered backwards, somehow managing to retain his feet as his breath slowly came back. "Dirt? When the hell did you make an earth clone? Since when can you make clones at all?"

"I did warn you," Kuushou said as he watched his clone completely emerge from the ground. "As for when, I made it before I even entered the clearing. It's been sitting under you the entire time we were talking."

Kiba straightened, flexing his hands as he stared at the clone before him. "You may have improved a little, but slightly improved worthless is still worthless," he growled. With that, he charged forward, his hands acting like claws as he swiped at the earth clone. Each blow ripped through the clone easily, and soon the entire thing lost cohesion.

"So much for that," Kiba smirked, settling into a stance.

Kuushou just nodded. "Your power is roughly C-rank, and your speed about the same. You are also not dropping your guard, which is a good sign."

Kiba growled again. "Like hell I'm going to give you another free shot. Akamaru!" His canine companion barked in acknowledgment, then both charged towards the blonde.

Kuushou watched them approach with his head cocked to the side. The two covered the short distance to him quickly, Kiba approaching from the left and Akamaru from the right. As they reached melee range, Kiba went low and swiped at his leg while Akamaru leapt much higher than seemed possible for his small frame, his claws menacing the blonde's face.

At the last moment, Kuushou twisted his body, allowing Akamaru to sail over him harmlessly while he focused his attention on Kiba. The Inuzuka still had the bad habit of overcommitting to his attacks and was unable to respond as Kuushou's other leg slammed into his side. Kiba's breath whooshed out of his lungs again and he was sent rolling several feet away before he managed to use his momentum to regain his footing.

"The fuck was that?" he wheezed. "You never moved that fast before."

"That's not even that fast, Kiba," Kuushou pointed out. It really wasn't, by his standards, and yet he was forced to reinforce his muscles with chakra to do it in this body. He was going to have to find some way to get his body back into proper condition quickly. "You left yourself wide open to my counterattack. Not to mention that I could just as easily have stabbed Akamaru with a kunai as I could have dodged him since you both left my hands completely free." He twirled a kunai that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere to emphasize his point.

"Don't even joke about that," Kiba snarled, a fierce expression on his face.

"I would say the only joke here is you, but truthfully you aren't that bad... for a fresh graduate."

"You're still carrying on with that bullshit?"

"For the next part of the evaluation, ninjutsu," Kuushou said.

"Hey, no Sexy Jutsu bullshit!"

Kuushou paused in the act of raising his hands, a confused expression on his face. "What?"

Hearing his reply, Kiba's expression looked just as confused. "What other ninjutsu do you know? Well, I guess you know a clone technique now, but still."

Kuushou sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Un-fucking-believable," he muttered. "No, I will not be using the," he grimaced, pondering just what the hell this world's Naruto had been doing for the last twelve years, "_Sexy Jutsu_."

He raised his hands again, racing through the handseals and declaring loudly, "Water Style: Levy Break."

"The fuck?" Kiba said, looking shocked. He immediately leapt back when he noticed the water seeping out of the ground. "Four Legs Technique!" he cried as he landed in a crouch. Akamaru joined him a moment later, and both of them growled at him in unison.

"Now you're getting it," Kuushou said as he executed another series of seals. "Water Style: Bullet."

The water around his feet suddenly rose into the air and formed spheres. A moment later they began to rip through the air towards the frantically dodging Kiba and Akamaru. The two of them were slipping and sliding along the muddy ground, confirming that they really didn't know any techniques to maintain their footing.

Once the last bullet was on its way, Kuushou shifted tactics and darted forward, his movements swift and sure in sharp contrast to Kiba and Akamaru. Kiba attempted to swipe at him as he closed into melee range, but he easily dodged the attack and placed his palm flat against Kiba's chest.

"Wind Style: Bullet," he intoned softly, and then Kiba was flying backwards through the air before slamming into a distant tree nearly twenty feet away. Akamaru abandoned the fight a moment later to scramble towards his partner, yipping worriedly as Kiba landed in a crumpled heap at the base of the tree.

Kuushou grimaced and began walking towards the downed genin; that last hit may have been a little excessive, especially considering that the boy's mother was currently watching. He wanted to embarrass Kiba while convincing the other watchers to let him work in peace, not make them think he was going to routinely cause serious injuries.

Kiba let out a low groan, revealing that he was both conscious and not in _too _much pain. Kuushou knelt, his hands glowing green as he surveyed the damage; a couple of cracked ribs and a lot of bruising was all, and he had that fixed in a matter of seconds.

Kiba pulled himself up against the tree and staggered to his feet a moment later, staring at the blonde in front of him. Kuushou stared back, his head cocked to the side and one eyebrow raised curiously.

"Chuunin, huh?" Kiba asked after he had recovered his breath and was standing straight once more.

"Yep."

"And you're going to be teaching me how to kick ass like that?"

"That's the idea."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

* * *

><p>Kuushou watched as Kiba hobbled out of the clearing, the genin's form exhausted and mud-covered. Once the boy was out of sight, he leaned up against a tree and tapped his foot impatiently. The hidden observers moved into the open a moment later.<p>

"I trust that clears up any lingering doubts," he asked, sweeping his gaze over the assembled group.

"Damn blondie, you really put him through the wringer," Anko said, smirking as she leaned up on the tree next to him. "Still can't believe he didn't even know tree-walking yet, though."

"As you are well aware, Mitarashi-san, only registered Konoha ninja are allowed to receive advanced training," Koharu said pointedly.

Kuushou scoffed. "I weep for Konoha if tree-walking is considered _advanced._" Koharu and Homura bristled, but Kuushou was more interested in the Hokage's reaction... which was minimal and revealed nothing of what he was thinking.

"What was the point of baiting my genin like that, Uzumaki-san?" asked a black-haired jounin. Kuushou mentally noted that this must be Kurenai Yuuhi, a kunoichi he had never actually met in his own world.

"Much like most of you, he was not prepared to take me seriously," Kuushou replied calmly. "And now he is."

He turned his attention to an older woman who was stalking forward, her face fixed in a glare. This one he had met, quite often, and this Tsume Inuzuka exuded the same feral, dangerous air he had become accustomed to. He could see her lean muscles rippling as she moved, and the rather large canine trotting at her side only added to the lethal image she projected. It was rather interesting how so many of the older generation were nearly identical to the people he was used to while so many of the younger ninja were almost absurdly different.

Tsume came to a stop in front of him, her arms crossed over her chest as she stared down at him. He met her gaze calmly, and the rest of the assembled group fell silent as they observed the confrontation.

"What do you have planned?" she asked simply.

"Increase his speed and strength, focus on his chakra control until he's past water-walking, then add some utility jutsu and ranged attacks. Oh, and lots and lots of sparring."

Tsume nodded sharply. "Good," she replied, then turned and began walking out of the clearing.

Kuushou noted that the Hokage was grinning widely as the Inuzuka clan head give her tacit approval to the training sessions. No doubt that would gut any continued opposition from anyone else.

Kurenai wasn't entirely satisfied though. "Do you plan to beat all of your students into submission first?" she asked, her tone sharp.

"If it will help," he replied easily, smirking. "I don't expect that will be necessary for anyone else, though. Probably not as fun as doing it to Kiba, either."

Shockingly, his flippant response didn't pacify her in the least. Before she could continue, however, someone else spoke up.

"That was a rather wide variety of jutsu you used," Kakashi observed, his single eye peeking over the edge of his orange book. "What is your chakra affinity?"

"Wind," Kuushou replied.

"Do you know any lightning or fire jutsu?" the masked ninja asked.

"I do, but I didn't want to hurt him too much by using them."

Kakashi just nodded. "And is there a reason you didn't use any jutsu outside of a roughly five meter radius?"

Kuushou did a double-take before staring at the masked ninja. "You picked up on that already?"

"It's rather obvious once someone sees you in action," he replied calmly.

"He's got a point, blondie," Anko said. "You really go out of your way to stay within a certain range of your opponents."

Kuushou sighed, annoyed. The Hokage already knew, as did Inoichi, but he didn't want that particular piece of information getting spread around. He turned to look at the Hokage.

"This is considered an A-rank secret," the Hokage said, "but due to the slightly different nature of his seal his chakra must remain with a certain distance of his body."

There was a small stir among the remaining ninja. "I think a demonstration is in order, Naruto-kun," the Hokage said.

"Alright, Hokage-jiji," he replied. He pushed himself off of the tree and walked a short distance away from the group. He noticed that Hiashi had activated his byakugan and that Kakashi had slipped his headband up to uncover his sharingan eye. Interestingly, neither gave any outward sign of surprise or pain as they got an eyeful of the aura surrounding his body; those not accustomed to it usually reacted negatively, in one fashion or another.

Kuushou ran through another series of handseals before intoning, "Water Style: Water Whip."

He drew water out of the still slightly muddy ground and sent it lashing out into the clearing. The end of the whip, as if crossing some invisible boundary, suddenly lost cohesion a short distance away from him and the water splashed uselessly to the ground.

"I see," Hiashi said musingly.

"Damn, blondie, that's gotta suck," Anko said ruefully.

Kuushou shrugged. "It's annoying, certainly, but hardly crippling. Now, unless there are any more objections, I'd like to get some lunch and relax a bit before I start my next training session this afternoon – with Hinata, if I'm not mistaken." He turned and nodded respectfully at Hiashi. "I trust you have no complaints?"

"If you wish to waste your time, that is your own affair," Hiashi said as he turned to leave the clearing.

Kuushou frowned. "You still don't think I know what I'm doing?"

"I was not referring to you, Uzumaki-san," came the reply.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Finally caught up with editing and revising. More minor revisions in this chapter, though nothing worth mentioning.**

**I've currently got 2,984 words written for the next chapter, so I'll probably have the first new chapter sometime this week.**

**As always, thanks for reading and thanks for all the reviews!**

**Revised: 02-20-2012 - Typo (air != arm) - thanks to Yak for pointing it out!  
><strong>


	5. Chain Reaction

Kuushou didn't even make it out of the clearing before Inoichi caught up to him. The older ninja matched his pace before casually asking, "Would you mind some company for lunch?"

"Not at all," Kuushou replied calmly, noting that Chouza Akimichi and Shikaku Nara had fallen in with them as well. "Where did you want to go?"

If all three were going to be there, the conversation would likely focus on their children and the upcoming training sessions. He could work with that.

"Kiku is actually preparing lunch today, if you wouldn't mind a home-cooked meal," Inoichi said.

Or not.

"That... might not be a good idea," Kuushou answered, sounding hesitant.

Inoichi frowned. "Ino will be eating lunch with her team elsewhere," he added softly.

Kuushou sighed, still looking uncertain, before he nodded slowly. "Alright." It would probably be harder to pull information out of Inoichi with the man's teammates there, especially Shikaku, but he didn't really have a good reason to turn the invitation down at this point. He was supposed to be missing his adopted family, after all.

Inoichi nodded, still frowning slightly. He then took the lead and began walking towards his home.

"How do you think Chouji will do?" Chouza asked, starting off the conversation as they walked.

Kuushou shot Inoichi a quick look and got a nod in response. "They know," was all the man said.

"I haven't really seen much of him since I got here," Kuushou said, shrugging. "From what I saw during the exams, though, he isn't _too_ far off from what I would expect physically. How many clan jutsu does he know?"

Chouza frowned and shook his head. "We just started teaching him a few days ago; training restrictions and all that. How much would you expect him to know?"

"Full- and partial-multi-size," Kuushou began listing off, "along with a solid grounding in earth jutsu. He could pull off a partial-multi-size in under a second before I left."

Chouza grinned widely, looking pleased.

"What's the deal with the training restrictions?" Kuushou asked. "We had them too, but they seem a lot more strict here."

"Troublesome...," Shikaku sighed. "It's supposed to be a law that prevents any non-ninja from accessing potentially powerful jutsu or training. In theory it limits damage caused by infiltrators and espionage, but over time more and more techniques have been rated C or higher, rather than the D or even E they should be. And since the restrictions are based on the rank of the knowledge or jutsu in question, that means students are no longer allowed to learn those techniques."

"Why are they changing the ranks, then?"

"It's complicated," he replied, a sour look on his face, "but it boils down to politics and a long string of compromises we've had to make to keep our graduation rate up."

"What does that have to do with it?"

"Well, let's take tree-walking as an example," Inoichi said. "When I went through the Academy, most of the students already knew how to do that or learned by the end of their second year. In my case, my parents taught me; it's the same with most of the children of ninja clans.

"These days, most of the students haven't even started the leaf exercise before they enter the Academy – in fact, most of them don't know anything about ninja techniques at all."

Kuushou blinked. "_Most _of them? I'd been refining my chakra control for years before I entered the Academy, as had everyone I knew. Why did their families not teach them?"

"Because ninety percent of the Academy students are civilians," Shikaku said bluntly.

"The Kyuubi's attack really hurt us, Naruto-kun," Inoichi said softly, noticing his disbelief. "We lost a lot of good ninja that day, and there have been several nasty situations since then that have kept our numbers from recovering properly."

"It's a fucking mess," Chouza chimed in. "We skimp on training to get the numbers, but we need more numbers because the training is so shoddy. Then everything gets skewed so that the civilians can keep up and even the clans have to change how they do things to avoid breaking the law. Normally we wouldn't worry too much about that, but the Council has been really cracking down on those sorts of things in the last few years."

"The Council? Aren't they just advisers?"

The three men looked at him oddly for a moment before chuckling.

"That may be true from an official standpoint," Shikaku said wryly, "but it's well known that they have the Hokage's full confidence, and they often stand in for him when he is occupied elsewhere. They've done nearly as much for this village as the Hokage has, even if they don't have the title. They keep everything inside the village running while the Hokage focuses on matters outside the village."

"Really," Kuushou said flatly.

"They can be right bastards when they're in a mood," Chouza added ruefully, "but they do manage to keep the various merchants and guilds in line. Bit conservative for my tastes, mind you, but I sure as hell wouldn't want their job."

"Anyway," Inoichi said, cutting off the discussion, "we're here." He opened the gate and motioned the others towards the door before calling out. "Kiku, we're back!"

"Just in time," she said, moving out of the kitchen and smiling warmly in greeting. "And this must be Naruto-kun," she added, smiling at Kuushou.

"Hello, Yamanaka-san," Kuushou replied, smiling politely. He noticed her eyes cut to Inoichi and Inoichi responding with a small shake of his head and a grimace.

"Well, come on in, I've just finished making some _gyoza_, and we've got some sandwiches as well. I hope that's ok with you, Naruto-kun?"

Kuushou had to give it to Inoichi and Kiku, they were really going out of their way to make him feel welcome, no doubt aided by Inoichi's jaunt through his memories – _gyoza_ was his "favorite" food, though it may have been supplanted by ramen.

"Sounds great, Ka- Yamanaka-san," Kuushou replied, almost calling her mom on "accident." Inoichi hid a quick grin and Kiku's smile stretched a little wider, but they didn't say anything.

Once they had all settled around the table, the conversation resumed, the focus once more returning to the upcoming training sessions.

"What do you have planned for my son?" Shikaku asked.

"I want to get him using his shadow techniques as soon as possible," Kuushou replied. "He was something of a prodigy, and he and Chouji were rather scary when they got going."

"Damn right!" Chouza said, slapping the table. "Nobody messes with the Ino-Shika-Cho!"

"Chouza-kun, would you mind not breaking the table again?" Kiku asked sweetly.

"Heheh..., sorry, Kiku-chan," Chouza apologized. "What about Ino?" he asked then, obviously trying to change the subject.

Inoichi grimaced, and an awkward silence fell over the group.

"Endurance training," Kuushou said shortly.

* * *

><p>As Kuushou entered the clearing, he noted that Hinata was already waiting on him and looking rather nervous. He also noted a watcher hiding in the training ground – Kurenai Yuuhi. He was rather annoyed that she had ignored his request that no one interfere, but then again just <em>watching <em>wasn't interfering.

Hinata squeaked when she noticed him approaching, ducking her head and pressing her fingers together. "H-hello, N-Naruto-kun," she said.

"Hello, Hinata-chan," he replied calmly, smiling. He got a tremulous smile in return, but for once it seemed her nervousness was overcoming her crush as there was no blush on her face. "Do you know why you're here?"

Hinata nodded slowly. "F-for extra training."

"Do you have any objections to learning from me?"

"No!" she yelled suddenly. She wilted quickly though, actually taking a step back following her outburst. "N-no," she repeated more quietly. "I'd be h-h-happy to learn f-from you."

"Very well then," he said, "let's start with a quick spar."

Hinata nodded jerkily and made her way to the center of the clearing and settled into a stance.

"That's the standard Jyuuken stance," Kuushou noted.

"Y-yes?" Hinata asked, sounding confused.

"And you are keeping your jacket on?"

Hinata's face flushed, and she just nodded quickly without saying anything.

Kuushou frowned, but made no further comment. He moved to stand across from her, spreading his feet slightly and letting his arms hang loosely. "You may begin whenever you wish."

Hinata nodded slowly, taking several deep breaths before she moved forward, her hands jabbing at his arms and torso. He retreated under her attack, his focus on her form and technique. After several seconds, his frown deepened.

"You aren't using your byakugan, either," he noted.

Hinata stopped, taking a couple of steps back before she replied, "D-do you w-want me to?"

"Yes, I do. I want you to attack me as hard as you can, Jyuuken strikes included."

Hinata just shook her head quickly. "I c-couldn't do that! I don't w-want to hurt you."

Kuushou sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. This was one particular problem he had not anticipated. Goading her into attacking him would likely backfire spectacularly, especially with Yuuhi no doubt itching for an excuse to interfere – he did understand a little better why she had been so concerned about his methods, however.

Perhaps a demonstration would help.

"You will find that hurting me is quite difficult," he said, pulling out a kunai. "Observe." He held up his other hand and pulled the kunai across it, cutting into his palm deeply. He ignored Hinata's gasp as he displayed the bloody hand to her, then wiped the blood off on his pants leg. When he showed her his palm again, there was no sign of any injury.

"H-how did you?" Hinata asked.

"Extensive medical training coupled with some unique advantages," he replied simply.

Hinata just began shaking her head. "W-when did you get m-medical training?"

Ah, now that was a bit of an awkward question. Still, he had known someone was going to ask eventually, and had worked out an answer with the Hokage already.

"I have been studying medical jutsu on the side for some time," he explained, "fitting in training around the Academy schedule. I would spend a lot of my afternoons and weekends tied up with that."

Hinata was shaking her head faster. "Y-you're lying," she accused, her voice becoming oddly fierce. "Naruto-kun never did that. Naruto-kun spent his time playing pranks on the rest of the village, and he liked being the center of attention. He wasn't sneaking off to get additional training," she proclaimed, sounding utterly certain. Her expression twisted, and she held up her hands in front of her, forming a seal and shouting, "Byakugan!"

She let out a small cry and reflexively covered her eyes as she caught sight of his youki up close. The Hinata in his world had said it was like a flash tag going off in her face, and even prepared for it she still had trouble adjusting sometimes; this one was witnessing it for the first time and had just gotten the full brunt of it.

When she lowered her arms, she was blinking rapidly and her eyes were actually watering. "Who are you? What have you done with Naruto-kun?" she hissed, settling into her Jyuuken stance once more; whatever shyness had effected her before was completely gone now.

"I _am_ Naruto," Kuushou insisted.

Hinata didn't reply, instead charging forward much more quickly than she had last time, her hands glowing with chakra. Kuushou grinned as he began actively fighting her, dodging and weaving around her strikes and countering with a few quick jabs of his own. Apparently he _could _goad her into fighting him, although not at all in the manner he would have expected. He would need to deal with this problem eventually, but right now he would get an accurate picture of her skill.

That picture wasn't very good, as it turned out. Her form was stiff, strictly textbook Jyuuken, and her attacks were rather slow and predictable as a result. Her overall approach reminded him heavily of Neji, but she lacked both the power and the viciousness to make that style work for her. She had yet to employ the flexibility or agility he was accustomed to and it wasn't looking like she was going to, either.

Her strikes became even wilder as she failed to land a single blow, and he decided to end it. He seized her arm and twisted it harshly, pulling her off balance, then grabbed a handful of her large jacket and used the leverage to flip her through the air, dropping her onto her back. She landed with enough force to drive the air out of her lungs, and she lay there stunned as she tried to recover.

"Not quite what I was expecting, honestly," Kuushou noted as he looked down at her.

"Why are you doing this?" she wheezed, staring up at him. "Where is Naruto-kun?"

"The Naruto Uzumaki you knew is gone," he said bluntly, annoyed. "I-"

"No!" Hinata cried, leaping to her feet.

"I-" Kuushou started again, but Hinata turned and ran out of the clearing, tears already streaming down her face.

He watched her run, blinking, before he sighed. He could perhaps have phrased that better, but that particular revelation was going to come out sooner rather than later, and she had seen right through his so-called cover story. Besides, he'd basically stopped acting even remotely like the Naruto of this world on the second day.

He felt Kurenai moving, then his head snapped to the side as she appeared in front of him and slapped him rather forcefully. "I hope you're happy," she spat, then left the clearing to chase after her student.

"Hmm...," Kuushou said, staring after them. "That _definitely_ could have gone better."

* * *

><p>With some unexpected free time on his hands and no training scheduled for tomorrow, he decided to take another mission. His original intent was to take one on his own, but he bumped into Anko before he even made it halfway to the Hokage Tower.<p>

"Already breaking hearts, eh, blondie?" she asked as she fell into step with him.

"News travels fast," Kuushou observed, glancing at her.

"This _is _a ninja village," Anko pointed out, "but I'd say it has more to do with the Hyuuga heiress running through the training grounds while bawling her eyes out. She's not exactly prime kunoichi material, but that's unusual even for her."

"You'd be surprised," Kuushou noted.

"That _is _normal for her? Damn, and I thought this one was bad."

"No," Kuushou said, shaking his head, "she actually is prime kunoichi material."

"You're joking," Anko said.

"Not at all. Is Neji still a prodigy here?"

"Yep," Anko noted sourly, "with an entire fucking tree trunk shoved up his ass to match."

"... not quite the same, I guess, but the point is that she could give Neji a run for his money, properly trained."

Anko whistled lowly. "I may not like the little shit, but he _is _good. And she can match him?"

"Wins four out of ten, last I checked."

"Huh... anyway, I was thinking about taking a mission and needed a partner. You interested?"

Kuushou eyed her curiously. "I have to be back in the village the day after tomorrow for my next training session."

"I'm sure we can find something useful to do without needing to go too far. There are quite a few missing-nin and bandits that slipped into the Land of Fire, after all," Anko said, grinning. "Feel up to another quick and dirty mission?"

Kuushou matched her grin.

* * *

><p>"So why'd you really ask me to come?" Kuushou asked that evening as they made camp. They had taken one of the many patrol missions Konoha was currently offering and had already taken out two C-rank missing-nin – a far cry from the frantic battles of his last jaunt outside the village, but still unusual for a mission inside the borders of the Land of Fire. "You hardly need a partner when you can just have those snakes guard you."<p>

"I _could, _sure, but that's boring," Anko replied. "Besides, you're a lot more fun than most of the idiots I get paired up with."

"How so?"

"No crap about who's in charge, for one thing. You'd be surprised how many chuunin start trying to order me around."

"I assume they regret that rather quickly," Kuushou observed drily.

"I can't do _too _much to them – stupid regulations – but they do tend to avoid me after that... wimps. You also carry your weight in a fight – I haven't had to save your scrawny ass yet, which is more than I can say for most of the clowns they call chuunin."

Kuushou snorted. "Glad to see I'm not the only one who thinks most of them are a joke."

"Was it this bad in your world?"

"Not as far as I can tell. I haven't met anyone under the age of twenty who actually deserves to be called a ninja here. Not everyone I knew was _great, _mind you, but they could at least throw a kunai right."

"What about me? You must have met me at least once, or at least seen me around the village."

"We met a few times, actually, and you seem to be much the same as far as I can tell."

Anko just hummed thoughtfully. "What else in the village changed?" she asked curiously.

"Danzo," he replied immediately.

Anko frowned. "That hardass? What's he like in your world?"

"He isn't."

"... isn't what?"

"He isn't in my world. At all."

"Huh. That's hard to imagine, for some reason. He's always hanging around the Hokage Tower like a blank-faced bundle of joy here."

"Then there's the Council; that's _completely _different."

"How so?"

"Well, Koharu and Homura are dead, for one thing, but in my world the Council actually has twenty-three people on it, both civilians and ninja, and it's been like that for a long time. It's not just two people."

"Odd," Anko said.

"What's _odd_ is how everyone takes orders from those two. The Hokage says they aren't in the chain of command at all, but every ninja I've talked to thinks they're just one step below the Hokage. They also don't seem to like me very much, for some reason."

"Tell me about it," Anko muttered.

"Oh?" Kuushou asked, raising one eyebrow.

"Old news," Anko said airily, waving off his question. She stood and stretched before turning and walking towards the edge of the clearing. "I'll take my turn at watch. You're up in four hours, so I'd suggest turning in now."

Kuushou watched her leave, pondering the sudden shift in her attitude once the current Council was brought up.

* * *

><p>"Fifty-fifty isn't quite fair," Anko was insisting as they neared the gates of Konoha. "You did your share of the work, sure, but I was providing vital oversight to the operation."<p>

Kuushou snorted. "What operation? We saw weak missing-nin, we killed weak missing-nin – the end. And technically _I _killed two of them while you only killed one."

Anko waved off his objection. "You got the C-rank pansies. I took out the B-ranker."

"Only after I wounded him."

"Like that made a difference," Anko laughed. She shrugged then, saying, "Fine, if you want to play it that way, I'll just add the Sexy Tax to my share."

"... the what?"

"The Sexy Tax. It's standard Konoha policy that the most attractive member of any team gets an additional ten percent for making the entire mission more pleasant for everyone."

Kuushou just stared at her for a long moment. "No."

"Cheapskate," Anko grumbled. As they neared the gates that lead into Konoha, she paused, then whipped around suddenly, her trenchcoat flaring dramatically as she came to a rest, one hand pointing at him imperiously.

"Naruto Uzumaki!" she intoned, her voice pitched to carry. "As the team leader and ranking officer for this mission, I hereby invoke article twenty-three of the Konoha Code of Conduct. Failure to comply will result in severe sanctions levied against you and a permanent mark upon your record!"

Everyone in earshot fell silent as they worked through what Anko had just said. Kuushou twitched as he recalled the section in question – 'On any mission lasting longer than six hours, the team leader may, at their sole discretion, designate a member or members of their squad who shall be responsible for the procurement of provisions for all members of the squad.' There were limits on the amount that could be spent and options for reimbursement and so on, but that was the gist of it.

"... did you seriously just invoke the Ration Rule to make me buy you dango?"

"Yes," Anko said, grinning widely. "Yes, I did."

Kuushou returned her grin after a moment, shaking his head in disbelief as they resumed walking.

"Well played."

* * *

><p>Before they made it to the dango stand, they ran into a rookie team once again, though this time it was Team Ten.<p>

"Naruto!" Ino yelled the moment she spotted him. "What the hell did you do to Hinata?"

"Nothing," Kuushou replied flatly, watching her approach dispassionately. "She simply did not react well to certain news I shared with her."

"That's one way to put it," Anko muttered from the sidelines as she watched Ino stalk up to him.

"What kind of stupid prank did you pull this time?" Ino continued, jabbing her hand forward to poke him in the chest.

Kuushou's eyes narrowed, and before she could touch him he grabbed her hand and stepped behind her, twisting her arm and pulling her hand upwards, forcing her to rise up to her tiptoes to relieve some of the pressure.

"There was no prank," he said in that same flat monotone – rather like Itachi's, now that he thought about it. "Hinata's sensei was observing the entire time; you may confer with her if you wish to corroborate my story."

"The hell?" Ino yelped. "Let me go!"

Kuushou paused, stepping back slightly while maintaining his hold on her arm. Her other hand and both feet were unhindered, but she was acting like she had been rendered completely helpless. The real Ino could have broken out of that hold three different ways before he'd even taken his first step, and had even more ways of responding when her arm was behind her back.

He glanced at Anko, who was shaking her head and looking disgusted. He then glanced to the other side, where Shikamaru and Chouji were standing. Shikamaru's eyes were narrowed as he looked on, and Kuushou noted that his hands were raised in front of him, just shy of forming handseals. Chouji looked distinctly uncomfortable, but his posture had shifted subtly and he was poised to charge forward.

Kuushou nodded to them before releasing Ino, causing her to stumble forward slightly before she whirled to face him again. Shikamaru and Chouji both relaxed, though Shikamaru continued to study him intently.

"What do you think you're doing?" Ino snapped.

"Making a point," he replied evenly.

"Huh?" She actually appeared genuinely confused by his answer.

Kuushou turned on his heel and began walking away, ignoring the rest of her spluttered protests. Anko joined him a moment later, smirking slightly.

"Never a dull moment with you around, blondie," she said. Her smirk faltered when he didn't reply.

* * *

><p>Somehow, Kuushou wasn't surprised to find himself "invited" to the Hokage's office later that afternoon. He also wasn't surprised to find that both the "Council" and Danzo were waiting in the office as well.<p>

"Naruto Uzumaki," the Hokage began, "you have been called here to discuss a formal complaint that has been filed regarding your teaching methods." The old man's tone was strictly professional, and his face didn't reveal any of his thoughts.

"This is in regards to Hinata Hyuuga, I assume?" he replied.

"Yes, it is," Koharu snapped. "You attempted to emotionally traumatize the girl within the first ten minutes of your session. Added to your borderline hostile approach with Kiba Inuzuka, Konoha's Council has serious concerns about your fitfulness to continue instructing students."

Kuushou glanced at her for a moment, then turned his gaze back to the Hokage. "What is the actual content of the complaint?"

"The ninja in question feels that your methods do not take into account the needs of the student, and that your approach has already caused considerable harm to the student's development as a ninja. They also assert that continued sessions would cause even further harm, and request that _all _sessions be terminated immediately," Homura responded. "While you do have _some _skill," he added, "it is clear that you lack the necessary qualifications for conveying that skill to others."

Kuushou cut his eyes towards the other adviser for a moment, then returned to the Hokage once more.

"Do I even need to be here?" he asked after a moment, not bothering to hide his disgust with the situation.

"You will watch your tone, genin!" Koharu snapped. Kuushou chuckled internally; apparently the old woman had forgotten he had already been promoted to chuunin.

Kuushou didn't even bother to look at her this time, instead staring straight at the Hokage. The old man met his gaze evenly, neither looking away or blinking for several seconds.

"Do you have _anything _to say for yourself?" Homura asked.

Kuushou didn't acknowledge that the man had spoken, maintaining his impromptu staring contest with the Hokage. He noted that the old man's eyes had narrowed slightly.

"In that case," Koharu began, but she was interrupted when the Hokage's hand slammed down onto the desk.

"That is _enough_," he barked.

"Hiruzen?" Koharu asked, startled.

"Koharu, Homura, and Danzo – thank you for your advice on this matter. You are dismissed."

The room was silent for a moment, then Homura choked out a "What?"

"I said, you are dismissed," the Hokage repeated evenly. "I am perfectly capable of handling the rest of this meeting on my own."

"Hiruzen, what are you-"

"Do I need to repeat myself again?" the Hokage asked, a hint of steel entering his voice.

It was Danzo who moved first, the old man tapping his cane on the floor as he walked towards the door to the Hokage's office. His face was blank as always, but his eyes lingered on Kuushou's form for several seconds as he passed.

Koharu and Homura slowly followed his example, their expressions set in a sort of stunned confusion as they left the room.

The Hokage sighed softly as the door closed behind them.

"Nice going, Ho-"

"Naruto," the Hokage said, his voice slicing through Kuushou's words like a knife. "Why did you tell her, and I quote, 'the Naruto Uzumaki you knew is gone'?"

Kuushou blinked. Apparently the Hokage was a little bit pissed right now; that was the harshest tone he'd ever heard directed at himself from the old man.

"Hinata had already deduced that I was not Naruto Uzumaki," he replied carefully. "I offered our agreed upon cover story about how I received additional training in secret, but she rejected it out of hand. She proceeded to give a rather accurate profile of Naruto's activities and personality, and insisted that he 'never did that.' She was rather emphatic about it, going so far as to attack me out of anger.

"My _intent_ was to explain that the Naruto she was familiar with was merely a cover, but she reacted far more negatively to my initial wording that I had anticipated and left the clearing before I could say anything further."

"I see," the Hokage said, relaxing slightly.

"Was none of that in the so-called complaint?"

"It was presented in a rather different light, but the complaint did cover that, yes."

"And did Kurenai seriously ask that the rest of the teaching sessions be canceled?"

"What makes you think it was Kurenai?"

"She _did _slap me hard enough to leave bruising just after Hinata left the clearing, or was that 'presented in a different light' as well?"

"That was somehow overlooked in the complaint," the Hokage noted, his expression wry. "However, this does leave us with something of a problem."

"Yes, it does," Kuushou said, leaning forward. "The kunoichi from this most recent graduating class are _pathetic._"

The Hokage reared back, startled. "What?"

"Do you realize that Ino Yamanaka, who you yourself described as 'middle of the pack', was unable to counter a simple hammerlock hold? She didn't even _try_. Even before things went sour, Hinata Hyuuga refused to remove her jacket despite the serious disadvantage it gave her in combat; given what I know of Hinata in my world and this one's reaction when I mentioned it, I believe she is embarrassed because her body has begun developing early. _Embarrassed. _Sakura Haruno lacks the advantages a ninja upbringing can give and even in my world her close combat skills weren't all that impressive – I shudder to think of what they'll be like here. Do you _really _want to send these kunoichi out into the field?"

The Hokage stared at him silently for several seconds, his expression darkening, then made a subtle motion with his hand. An ANBU appeared in front of him, kneeling.

"Yes, Hokage-sama?" the ANBU said.

"Bring me the Academy records for this year's graduates, then tell Iruka Umino to come to my office immediately."

* * *

><p>Kuushou watched with interest as Iruka entered the office, the teacher looking incredibly nervous. No doubt the man was wondering why he had been abruptly summoned to meet with the Hokage. The man gave him a quick, curious glance, then focused all of his attention on the Hokage.<p>

"Iruka Umino, reporting as ordered, sir," the teacher announced formally, saluting.

"Relax, Iruka-kun, you aren't in trouble," the Hokage said, though his tone was anything but cordial. "You are here to answer some questions I have about the recent graduating class."

Iruka smiled hesitantly, but did relax out of his rigid stance. "Of course, Hokage-sama."

"I have here," the Hokage said, motioning to the files on his desk, "the results from all of the graduating students. For instance, the files tell me that our Rookie of the Year, Sasuke Uchiha, ranked first in taijutsu, ninjutsu, and genjutsu."

"Yes, Hokage-sama, that is correct," Iruka said.

"What the files _don't_ tell me, Iruka-kun, is what _rank _he is," the Hokage pointed out.

Iruka blinked. "I... don't understand what you mean."

"The files tell me his rank in the Academy, but they do not tell me his actual rating on the traditional scale," the Hokage clarified. "Is he B-rank? C-rank? Where do his individual skills fall?"

"Ah," Iruka said. "The Academy no longer assesses the students in that manner – it is instead left to the jounin-sensei to more accurately measure their students' prowess once they have been placed on a team."

The Hokage's eyes narrowed. "When did that change occur?"

"I... think it was a year or two before I joined the teaching staff, Hokage-sama," Iruka replied nervously. "I have always been told to rank the students strictly against each other, as it provides a more accurate basis for comparison than the general D- or C-rank designations."

The Hokage nodded slowly. "Very well," he said at length. "Setting that aside, if you _did _rank Sasuke Uchiha on the traditional scale, where would you place him overall?"

Iruka thought for a moment, then said, "From a combat perspective, low to mid C-rank. Overall, a high D-rank."

The Hokage frowned. "Moving on, I note in Ino Yamanaka's file that she ranked second in taijutsu, ninjutsu, and genjutsu, just behind Sasuke. I find this a little surprising, as the class profile clearly had her listed in the middle."

"Er, actually, Hokage-sama, she ranked second in those categories among the kunoichi."

"... pardon?"

"The kunoichi are graded separately from the male ninja. She was beaten out by Hinata Hyuuga in taijutsu, and Sakura Haruno in ninjutsu and genjutsu."

The Hokage opened up the file again, scanning it quickly. "Where is this separation indicated?"

Iruka blinked, then rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I can't recall that it is, actually. It's just how we were told to do it."

The Hokage flipped open two more files, glancing between them quickly. "I see," he said flatly. "That does answer one of my other questions regarding how first, second, and third all had ties. It seems that, in fact, they did not."

The Hokage sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose tiredly, then turned his attention back to Iruka. "Where would you rank Ino Yamanaka's combat skill on the traditional scale?"

"Low D," Iruka replied immediately.

The Hokage grimaced, and Kuushou just shook his head in disgust.

"Where would you rank Hinata Hyuuga and Sakura Haruno's combat skill?"

"Hmm..., mid D-rank and E-rank, respectively."

The Hokage stopped moving entirely.

Iruka gulped and wiped a bead of sweat from his brow.

"I must have misheard you," the Hokage said slowly. "Did you just say that Hinata Hyuuga, the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan and possessor of the byakugan, and Sakura Haruno, Kunoichi of the Year, had combat ratings of _mid D-rank and_ _E-rank_?"

"Y-yes, Hokage-sama," Iruka replied nervously.

The Hokage glanced at Kuushou, who just gave him a raised eyebrow in return.

"Just how," the Hokage asked, focusing on Iruka once more, "did Sakura Haruno manage to secure the Kunoichi of the Year title?"

"Her academic and non-combat scores were high enough to overcome the problems caused by her low combat scores," Iruka explained.

The Hokage was silent for nearly a minute, leaving Iruka fidgeting nervously and shifting from foot to foot. Eventually, he said, "Thank you for your time, Iruka-kun. That will be all."

"Of course, Hokage-sama," Iruka said quickly, saluting.

Once he had left the office, Kuushou spoke up. "I gather that you weren't aware of most of those changes," he said.

The Hokage leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. "Not all of it, no. Despite what many people seem to think, I don't have the time to personally oversee everything in Konoha, Naruto-kun. Unfortunately, it seems that some of the changes, while perhaps well-intentioned, have not produced positive results."

The Hokage sighed again. "For the sake of comparison, where would you place your fellow graduates in your own world?"

Kuushou hummed thoughtfully for a moment. "Using my Triple-B evaluation as a baseline, I would say that the Clan Kids ranged from mid-C to mid-B."

The Hokage grimaced. The room fell silent as the Hokage contemplated the situation and Kuushou attempted to divine his thoughts. After a minute, Kuushou decided to speak up.

"While this has been enlightening," Kuushou said, "and has certainly made my point clear, this does still leave the matter of Kurenai's complaint."

"Yes," the Hokage said slowly, "it does. As Hinata's jounin instructor, she does have significant authority in the matter of her training and it's highly unusual to outright ignore their requests as concerns their genin."

"But?" Kuushou prompted when the Hokage didn't continue immediately.

"But she has also known the Hyuuga heiress for several years, and possibly lacks an objective viewpoint in this matter. Still, all else aside, she may have a point that you are not the proper person to train Hinata, given the girl's earlier reaction."

"Possibly," Kuushou allowed. "Something I noticed during my brief spar with Hinata has been bothering me, though: her Jyuuken form was very rigid, sticking to the basic principles of the style to the point of absurdity. Why is that?"

"I can't say I know much about her training specifically, but the Hyuuga have always been very particular about how their style is used. I take it you expected something else?"

"I expected her to use her flexibility and agility to maximum effect, attempting to strike around my guard rather than the head-on approach she used. She is not well-suited to the base Jyuuken style at all. My understanding is that she learned a great deal from her mother; is that not the case here?"

"No," the Hokage replied, grimacing. "Her mother died when she was very young, long before any training would have begun."

"I see," Kuushou replied, nodding. That explained that little mystery, then. Well, part of it, anyway – any idiot could see that Hinata was not a power-type, so the way she was apparently trained still made little sense.

"Do you think you could teach Hinata this other style of Jyuuken?" the Hokage asked pointedly.

"Only if she's willing to learn. After what I've seen so far, I'm not sure she has it in her."

The Hokage made no reply to that.

"I assume I am still going to be teaching the other Clan Kids?" Kuushou asked.

The Hokage shook off his thoughts and nodded. "Yes. Despite the reservations of certain parties, I still believe that the children will learn a great deal from you. The training sessions will continue."

"And if those _certain parties_ try to interfere?"

"Then they will be explaining themselves to me," the Hokage said firmly.

Kuushou grinned at the steel he heard in the Hokage's voice. "Glad to hear it, Hokage-jiji."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: In true Konoha fashion, just about everyone knows about "the secret" by the end of the second day.**

**Hinata took the news that Naruto is "dead" about as well as could be expected. Kurenai's reaction is understandable, given how protective she is of Hinata. She knew that the training session was a disaster in the making, and she was proven right. **

**Once I get through the rest of the initial training sessions, the pace will accelerate rapidly towards the Chuunin Exams. The Wave Mission will be covered... sort of. I haven't decided who will be getting that mission or if Kuushou will be involved. However, Naruto "The Miracle Worker" Uzumaki will not be there regardless, so... yeah. If it does end up being Kakashi, reality is going to ensue. If someone else, Intelligence may ensue instead. It will get no more than a chapter, either way.**

**I'd be very interested to hear comments on my portrayal of the "Council". I've presented three different points of view on them as well as showing how they behave via Kuushou.**

**As always, thanks for reading and thanks for all the reviews!**

**Edit: 02-25-2012 **

**I'm getting several consistent questions and comments in my reviews, so I'll post the answers here for anyone else who might be wondering.**

**1) Is there going to be a plot?**

**Yes, there is and will continue to be a plot. There is a certain level of commentary on canon inherent in this idea, but I feel that I have done nothing that contradicts the canon base I am using. If you disagree, please provide specific examples to help me understand where I went wrong.  
><strong>

**2) What about the Bijuu?**

**The Bijuu in TEC differ in three major ways from canon: first, there were nine of them from the start, and no Juubi; second, their personalities and names (and True Names) are distinct from their canon counterparts; third, they were born in and existed in an entirely separate realm (as were the Summons) which had some important consequences for how their powers developed. Kuushou is a fundamentally different being from Kyuubi. **

**3) What about Mr. Pinkeye (less commonly known as Madara Uchiha)?  
><strong>

**Kuushou is not Kyuubi. Thus, he _cannot _be used to reform the Jyuubi, and the Sharingan / Mangekyou Sharingan will not control him. For the purposes of this story at least I am assuming that the sharingan can do that because it was spawned from the Juubi's own powers, in a way. I would assume the MS can control all the Bijuu, but I don't know if that's actually been shown in canon.  
><strong>

**4) What happened to canon!Naruto?**

**For the time being, this world is just a copy of canon with a single substitution made. Canon!Naruto in TEC would end... badly for him. The results for the world at large would be mixed - some people would come out better, others worse. The major threats in TEC are not of the world destroying variety.  
><strong>

**5) Is this just canon bashing? Council bashing? And so on?  
><strong>

**As I mentioned above, I do not feel that I have done one single thing with the canon characters that is not fully justified and consistent with what we were _shown _in canon. What we are told, on the other hand, I intend to ignore. For instance: Ino, according to Narutopedia, graduated second in taijutsu, ninjutsu, and genjutsu just behind Sasuke. **

**Bullshit. Ino couldn't take _Sakura, _and I can't recall that she even fought anyone aside from that. What we are shown in canon is that kunoichi are useless, and for the most part that continues to be the case. Tsunade and Mei Terumi seem to be the exceptions. Anko? Kidnapped. Kurenai? Sarutobi actually _says _that her main purpose is to bear children. Sakura? Had an absurdly good showing against freaking Sasori of all people, then reverts to her pre-timeskip personality. And so on. Now, I did stop reading shortly after the timeskip (about the time Naruto burned his skin off using Kyuubi's power, I believe it was), so a lot of this is from the wiki or comments on other fics I've read. It's possible I've overlooked major parts of the story.**

**Sasuke, despite my dislike for how his character developed and the monster he has become in canon, really was one of the most competent graduates. I've mentioned several times that Kiba and Shino are actually quite close to their TEC counterparts (or, rather, that those two in TEC are only moderately stronger than in canon, said growth due to their time with the Clan Kids). Their knowledge in TEC, as they were actively encouraged from multiple fronts to learn everything they could, is a different matter altogether.**

**I'm trying my hardest to not bash the Council (or anyone else, for that matter), but they are _not _going to be friendly with Kuushou. After his blatant disrespect in that meeting and after they realize Sarutobi's newfound criticism of their actions stems from "Naruto", it's just going to get worse. They aren't going to pull some grandiose plot out of their ass that will culminate in an epic showdown in the Council Room or before the whole village, no. They _will_ be as deliberately obstructive as possible, and they _will _be examining every single one of his actions under a microscope trying to find fault.  
><strong>

**Bashing is, to me, showing people in the worst possible light because you, the author, do not like them. In Naruto fiction that tends to be showing people who don't like Naruto as retarded, insane, incapable of logical thought, and ludicrously incompetent to boot. Koharu and Homura really do care about Konoha, they really do perform a lot of vital functions within the village and so on... but they aren't perfect. They've also become accustomed to a certain amount of authority that, officially speaking, _they do not have._ They have been overstepping their bounds, little by little, for so long that everyone in the village, including them, has forgotten where the bounds were. Sarutobi has allowed this to happen, even encouraged it to an extent, because he trusts them and knows they can get the job done. He's also had some of the consequences of that abruptly thrown into his face, aided by Kuushou who is deliberately manipulating the situation in his favor.  
><strong>


	6. Lip Service

Kuushou returned to his new apartment following the meeting with the Hokage, exchanging nods and quick greetings with a few ninja along the way. Word was apparently getting around about who he was and what he was doing – no doubt helped along by Anko – and it appeared that there might be the vague beginnings of respect towards himself. It probably helped that he was now living in an almost exclusively ninja section of Konoha and no longer had to deal with the civilians.

Once inside his apartment, he began methodically stripping off his equipment and storing it away. He had long since learned how to perform such tasks without consciously thinking about it, so while his body worked his thoughts drifted to his current situation.

He had the beginnings of a solid stash of funds, but if he left Konoha today he would undoubtedly find himself running low on money quickly. He also had to consider how much he should allocate towards furniture and other such goods to give the impression that he intended to stay – investing in his home would no doubt alleviate any budding suspicions among his watchers. Fortunately he had never pretended to be particularly worried about material possessions, and with Inoichi vouching for him in that regard any such expenses would be minimal.

On the other hand, the majority of his income was going straight back out to purchase better equipment and supplies. He may not care about decorations or furnishings, but quality tools and weapons were a high priority, particularly sealing supplies.

Once he had stored all of his equipment in sealing scrolls, he moved into the living room and stood next to the large table lining one wall. The table was currently completely bare, but that changed as soon as he channeled his chakra into two carefully hidden seals. With a small puff of smoke the table was suddenly covered with stacks of sealing paper, bottles of chakra ink, and several pages covered in half-finished designs.

Just before he set brush to paper, he paused. He had already determined that his own sealing knowledge, while far from complete, was relatively advanced for this village. Perhaps he could leverage that knowledge as an additional source of income. A glance out the window showed that there was still plenty of sunlight left, so all of the stores in Konoha should still be open.

He quickly crafted several kinds of sealing scrolls, exploding tags, and paralysis seals and gathered them up, along with a scroll filled with supplies for any additional seals he might want to craft, then headed out the door.

* * *

><p>The first two stores he tried didn't carry any sort of seals at all, but he quickly spotted one that he knew carried every type of ninja tool imaginable – Higurashi's. The store had apparently existed since the founding of Konoha in his world and it looked practically identical here.<p>

"Welcome to Higurashi's!" came the vaguely bored greeting from the cashier. It was a young man that Kuushou didn't recognize, and judging by his chakra levels he was at best a genin and not a particularly strong one at that.

"I'd like to speak to the owner," Kuushou said without preamble.

The worker perked up and shook off his boredom, the unusual request serving to bring him out of his thoughts. "Is there a problem? I'd be more than happy to answer any questions you may have."

"I have a business proposition for him."

That drew a vaguely skeptical look, but the worker nodded at moved to a door facing the back. "Boss!" he yelled out, keeping one eye on Kuushou. "Someone wants to talk to you!"

It was only a few seconds before a tall, thickly muscled man came out of the back, his gaze quickly focusing on Kuushou. There was a small grunt of surprise before he waved the worker back to the counter.

"What can I help you with?" he asked, his voice clipped but still polite.

"I understand that you sell seals of various types," Kuushou began, motioning to a nearby display featuring small capacity sealing scrolls.

"We do," the man grunted. "If you want a discount, we offer five percent to chuunin, ten percent to tokubetsu jounin, and fifteen percent to jounin, standard. Large orders are also discounted on a case by case basis."

Kuushou shook his head. "I'm not here to buy, but to sell."

The man looked him over for a moment. "You've got five minutes," he said finally, crossing his heavily muscled arms over his thick chest.

"I can offer a wide variety of fuinjutsu products, from sealing scrolls to exploding tags."

"We have suppliers for that," the man began.

"If the ones you have on display are your standard stock, then I can guarantee that I can create higher quality tags at a competitive price. If your offer is good enough, I'll even let you be the exclusive supplier."

The man's face was relatively blank, but there was a speculative gleam in his eye. "Prove it," he replied.

Kuushou grinned widely.

* * *

><p>They spent the rest of the afternoon working out which seals Kuushou would supply for what price, as well as the details of any custom work that might be requested. By the end of their negotiations Kuushou had a price that was at least as lucrative as running C-rank missions, possibly more so, and Jinsuke Higurashi was certain he would be seeing a lot more business coming his way.<p>

Kuushou was wrapping up the visit when Jinsuke's daughter returned from training with her team.

"Dad!" Tenten called out as she entered the back of the shop. "I'm back!"

"Good timing," Jinsuke called out, motioning her over. She eyed Kuushou curiously as she approached, her eyes sweeping over his form quickly and efficiently. "This is Naruto Uzumaki. He'll be supplying us with some tags and scrolls from now on. He does some fantastic work."

"Nice to meet you, Uzumaki-san," Tenten said politely.

"Likewise, Higurashi-san," Kuushou responded. He had only met Tenten a few times, mostly in passing, but she seemed unchanged in this world. "Not to be rude, but I do need to get going. I'll have your first batch to you tomorrow afternoon."

"Of course, of course!" Jinsuke replied jovially. "Looking forward to it."

As Kuushou left, he could hear Jinsuke starting to explain the new deal they had just struck to Tenten.

* * *

><p>"Troublesome," came the tired yawn as Shikamaru shuffled into the clearing the next morning. "You deliberately chose me for the morning session, didn't you?"<p>

"Possibly," Kuushou replied, amused. He had, of course, but there was no fun in outright admitting it. His gaze flickered off to the right where Asuma Sarutobi was observing from within the trees. The faint hint of cigarette smoke showed the man wasn't trying too hard to hide his presence, however. He wasn't sure how to interpret that.

"So what are we supposed to do?" Shikamaru asked, rubbing his face and blinking.

"In your case, I figured we'd start with a game of shogi."

Shikamaru looked skeptical. "Really?" he asked.

Kuushou snorted. "No. I want to get an idea of your general fitness level, so we'll start with a quick run around the training ground."

Shikamaru actually mustered up enough energy to glare before taking off at a brisk pace. He wasn't particularly fast, but his movements were clean and smooth and his breathing was even. Kuushou began to pace him, gradually increasing his speed and forcing Shikamaru to keep up.

"So how'd you manage to get promoted to Chuunin so quickly?" Shikamaru asked conversationally. "It seems like your way would save a lot of effort."

"Oh, there are some unique circumstances at play, but I ended up getting a field promotion from the Hokage," Kuushou replied as he increased his speed a notch.

"Really? I thought you had to have an extensive mission record for those."

"Not always."

"So what did you do then? I heard Kiba mention you were covered in blood a few days ago... is it related to that?"

"It is. I was on a mission outside the village that didn't go according to plan."

"Your first kill?" Shikamaru asked quietly.

"No," Kuushou said. He waited for Shikamaru to open his mouth again before he continued. "I got my first kill years ago."

The genin actually stumbled for a moment, but recovered quickly. "I see," he finally said, his expression thoughtful.

The conversation lapsed after that as Shikamaru began to struggle to keep up the pace. Kuushou kept pushing for a few more minutes before he dropped down to a light jog and led Shikamaru back to the clearing in the middle of the training ground.

"Alright, next we'll test your chakra control. What exercises do you know?"

"The leaf exercise."

Kuushou waited for several seconds, looking at Shikamaru expectantly. "And the Pool of Shadows, I assume?" he said when Shikamaru didn't add anything further.

The genin gave a small start before slowly nodding. "And that, yes," he said, his gaze sharp, almost suspicious.

"Good. Demonstrate them both."

Shikamaru picked a leaf up off the ground and held it in his palm. After a moment, it floated smoothly in the air, raising and lowering in a quick pattern before settling into his palm once again. Dropping the leaf, he formed the ram handseal and focused. The difference was subtle at first, but his shadow began to grow darker and thicker as it gathered around his feet.

Kuushou saw the boy tensing and knew what it meant, but decided not to react as the Nara's shadow lanced out and connected with his own. He felt the jutsu take hold and watched in amusement as Shikamaru moved his arms and legs about, forcing him to walk forward. He also noted that Asuma had moved much closer and felt the tension in the man's chakra.

"If you aren't the Naruto we know," Shikamaru said, "then who are you?"

"Word spreads fast, doesn't it?"

"Who are you?" Shikamaru repeated. "Why do our teachers and the Hokage trust you enough to have you teach us?"

"Why don't you ask them?"

"I have. They didn't really give us an answer."

"What did they say?" Kuushou asked curiously. He could tell that his lack of concern was really starting to get to Shikamaru, as the boy was growing more tense by the second.

"Some bullshit about you studying outside of the Academy."

Kuushou chuckled lowly. "None of you are really buying that, are you?"

"Anyone with working eyes or ears could easily trace your movements. Your pranks were flashy, you were loud, and your clothing was bright. There's no way you had that much time unaccounted for, certainly not enough to develop the skills you're showing off now. Then there's the fact that your behavior completely changed on the day of the graduation exam without any warning or explanation. You don't even walk the same anymore."

"Well then, I suppose I owe you an answer. Before that, though... are you going to release me?"

"After I hear what you have to say," Shikamaru said firmly.

"Ah. Consider this part of our training session, then."

Shikamaru's eyes didn't even have time to widen before the ground under his feet thrust upwards, sending him tumbling through the air and breaking his connection with his shadow. He landed awkwardly and rolled nearly a meter before coming to a stop. Kuushou stared at him as he lay on the ground, motionless.

"Quit faking, you lazy ass," Kuushou said.

Shikamaru slowly rose to his feet, settling into a defensive stance and revealing a kunai clutched in one hand. "Naruto doesn't know any jutsu like that, and he certainly can't use them without handsigns."

"_Your _Naruto doesn't, although Kami knows why no one bothered to teach him. _This _Naruto can use ninjutsu just fine, thank you."

Shikamaru's brow furrowed and he was silent for several seconds. Finally, he slowly lowered his kunai and slipped out of his stance. "That's why they trust you so much. You are Naruto, just from... what, another world? Reality? Dimension? Plane of existence?"

"Basically, yes."

"How did you get here? What happened to our Naruto?"

"Those are both questions I would very much like the answers to."

"Troublesome...," Shikamaru sighed.

* * *

><p>Kuushou watched as Shikamaru slouched out of the clearing following the end of their training session. Once the genin had accepted his identity a lot of the tension had dissipated, and they had spent the rest of the session focused on his clan jutsu while discussing similarities and differences between the two worlds.<p>

"Smoking can kill you, you know," Kuushou said to the empty clearing once Shikamaru had left.

"All you med-nin say that," Asuma muttered as he stepped out from behind a tree, "but Pops is hanging on just fine, now isn't he?"

"Point," Kuushou said, inclining his head. He watched as Asuma walked closer before asking, "Are all the teachers going to make a habit of observing the sessions? Don't you guys have better things to do with your time?"

"Yes, we are," Asuma grinned, looking completely unapologetic. "You're three for three on bad starts so far, not exactly a shining endorsement."

"I did tell the Hokage that the cover story wouldn't hold," Kuushou pointed out.

"And you've been trying so very hard to keep it up," Asuma countered, still grinning. "On the upside, you won't have any problems from Chouji once Shikamaru gets a chance to talk with him."

"Chouji's about as easy going as a ninja gets," Kuushou replied, "I doubt I would have had any trouble with him anyway."

"Care to join me for lunch?" Asuma asked as he pulled out another cigarette.

"As long as it's ramen."

"Heh. I guess _some_ things don't change."

* * *

><p>They made the trip to Ichiraku's talking about his plans for the training sessions. Asuma was surprisingly proactive about working with him to shore up his team's weaknesses, freely sharing where he thought Shikamaru, Chouji, and Ino could benefit from some additional training. That conversation continued as Teuchi served up bowl after bowl of ramen, but was eventually interrupted by another arrival.<p>

"Ah, Naruto-san," Mareko said pleasantly as she entered the ramen stand. "I was hoping I might find you here."

Kuushou stifled a sigh of annoyance as the med-nin settled onto the stool next to him.

"My apologies, Sarutobi-san," she said, inclining her head towards Asuma. "I didn't mean to interrupt you."

"Nah, it's fine," he said, waving off her concern. "We've already covered all the important bits." He pushed back his empty ramen bowl and pulled out a pack of cigarettes.

"I hope you aren't about to start smoking in here," she said, her eyes narrowed. "Smoking causes considerable damage to the lungs, and it's even worse for someone as young as Naruto-san."

Asuma's eye twitched slightly, but he just chuckled and laid down some money on the counter. "I've got a couple of errands to run before my afternoon appointment," he said, smirking at Kuushou. "I'll leave you two to it." He stepped outside the stand and made a show of lighting up his cigarette and taking a deep drag on it, exhaling with a loud, satisfied sound. "Med-nins," he muttered to himself as he walked off.

"I took the liberty of compiling a few statistics regarding the survival rates of med-nin in the field," Mareko began after placing her order with Teuchi.

Kuushou had to give the woman credit for her persistence, if nothing else.

* * *

><p>After his training session with Chouji, which was by far the smoothest and simplest so far since the Akimichi had already been filled in on everything by Shikamaru, Kuushou returned to his apartment. He was intent on crafting the tags and scrolls for the Higurashi shop as he had agreed, only to find that two people were waiting for him; Danzo and the pale boy he had fought during his evaluation. The old man was examining the marble table in the living room while the boy knelt in a corner, watching the room intently.<p>

"Good afternoon, Elder Shimura," Kuushou said as he entered his living room, acting as if they had just met on the street rather than finding the man waiting inside his apartment.

"You're rather interesting, Uzumaki-chuunin," the man replied as he turned to face him, his voice flat as always. "You haven't even been here two weeks, yet your actions are already making waves."

"I do what I can," Kuushou replied, smirking.

"I'm sure. I understand that you are looking for ways to earn a little extra income... understandable. Intelligent, even. A ninja should always ensure that he has sufficient resources on hand to handle whatever comes his way."

Kuushou nodded slowly. "I've always thought so. After all, better to have it and not need it-"

"Than need it and not have it. Maxim Eight, yes." Danzo tapped his cane on the floor twice as if to emphasize his point. "The reason I'm here is that I think we can help each other."

"How, exactly?"

"As an Elder of Konoha, I have certain privileges as regards mission assignments, among other things. I have sponsored many ninja through the Academy over the years – such as Sai here, whom I'm sure you remember – and I often send the more demanding but lucrative missions their way. It's a system that works well, as I can match their skills to the mission and they know they are serving this village to the best of their ability and are rewarded accordingly.

"If you are interested, I'm willing to have you partner with Sai on a few missions to see if you have what it takes. If you do, then I can guarantee you won't have any issues with money or equipment. It would also serve you very well for when the tokubetsu jounin or even full jounin trials come around."

"I see," Kuushou replied, his expression neutral. "I would need to hear more about the specifics before I agreed to anything."

"I would expect nothing less," Danzo said, his voice still completely flat. He pulled out a small scroll and laid it on the marble table. "This should explain everything in a bit more detail. If you have any further questions, you can contact Sai. It just so happens that he lives in an apartment in this building, number nine-six-four."

"How convenient," Kuushou said. He knew for a fact that Sai hadn't been anywhere near this building since he had moved in. He supposed the boy could have been out on a mission, but it was... suspicious, to say the least.

"I'll be waiting for your answer," Danzo said as he walked out of the apartment, his cane making a solid thump with every step. Sai followed him silently – the boy's expression was every bit as blank as Danzo's, but Kuushou noted that his eyes were studying him.

Once they had left, Kuushou unrolled the scroll and began reviewing the information within. As expected, it explained more about the types of missions Danzo's "sponsored ninja" typically performed, with an emphasis on their higher pay and impressive success rate. It only took a little reading between the lines to realize that the _types _of missions performed were almost exclusively assassination, sabotage, and hunting for missing-nin.

"Interesting...," Kuushou mused.

* * *

><p>Kuushou's expression was completely blank as he entered the clearing the next morning.<p>

Ino was already present, pacing back and forth and muttering to herself about having to learn from "Naruto of all people" and how this was a waste of her time. Asuma had taken up the same spot he had occupied yesterday, hidden in the trees and observing everything.

Ino's head snapped up and she stalked forward angrily when she saw that he had arrived.

"Alright Naruto, I want some answers!" she growled as she stopped in front of him. Her hand lifted and one finger was extended, but she hesitated and then lowered it.

"I am not here to answer your questions," Kuushou replied, doing his best Itachi imitation.

"What's all this crap I hear about you being a different Naruto than the one we knew at the Academy? Why the hell are you acting like you have been? And why _the hell_ are we learning from _you_?"

Kuushou maintained his blank-faced stare, his eyes boring into Ino's. She matched his stare with one of her own, her expression angry and stubborn. The silence stretched for nearly a minute before she started to look uncomfortable and finally looked away. She grimaced, realizing that she had lost their impromptu contest of wills.

"You are learning from me," Kuushou said, ignoring her other questions, "because the Hokage has assigned me to teach you. You are not _required _to attend these sessions, but you will find yourself speaking to the Hokage if you do not. And as for why he feels I can teach you…," he trailed off, contemplating yet another dramatic display of skill and superiority. It felt wrong to do that now, in large part because this Ino would be surprised or impressed when the real Ino would know he could do so much more.

"I can teach you because I know you can be more than what you are now," he finished simply.

"And just what _am _I now?" Ino asked challengingly.

"Pathetic."

She obviously hadn't expected that answer, as she recoiled as if she'd been slapped. After a moment, though, her face twisted in anger and then her fist was swinging towards his head. He sighed and casually leaned out of the way.

"While I applaud your enthusiasm," he began mockingly, "you are not at the point where you will benefit from sparring. Your training regimen will consist of exercises designed to build your chakra reserves and physical endurance until further notice."

"Stop. Dodging. Me!" she snapped as she continued to flail at him. "Dammit!" she snarled, then jumped back and began running through a series of handseals. Her speed wasn't too bad, honestly, but it was slow enough that he could easily pick out the combination for the Mind Transfer technique.

He darted forward faster than she could react and seized her hands, interrupting her jutsu. "Ninjutsu practice will come later," he said in the same monotone he had used throughout their discussion. "If you cannot follow your teacher's instructions then the sessions will be suspended."

She growled at him – literally growled, a feral sound that rumbled out of her throat – but apparently decided to cease her attacks for the moment. He released her hands and she stepped back quickly, her hands balled into fists. She took several deep breaths before she bit out, "What do I do first?"

She had enough mannerisms in common with the real Ino that he recognized all the signs that she had shelved her coming vengeance for a more opportune moment – no doubt when she felt he would least be expecting it – but that was fine. If she could actually catch him off guard, then she would deserve it… and his own retribution.

* * *

><p>"That will suffice," Kuushou droned four hours later, allowing a small smirk to twist his lips as Ino collapsed into a puddle of sweat and trembling muscles.<p>

She made a vague gesture that was probably meant to be rude but looked more like her arm flopped sideways, then laboriously began to pick herself up. She made several more gestures that were definitely rude as she left, pausing occasionally to lean against a tree and catch her breath.

Asuma appeared beside him a moment later, a deep frown etched on his face. "That was a little excessive," he said lowly, his tone almost accusing.

"That was less than what Maito Gai routinely inflicts on his team," Kuushou responded, allowing his stoic Itachi impression to fade.

"Gai spent a lot of time building his team up to that level," Asuma retorted, none of the tension leaving his frame. "You didn't push Chouji or Shikamaru nearly that hard, and Ino isn't even a close combat type."

"You are free to pull her from the training if you want," Kuushou said, turning to walk away.

"Are you going to ease up on her?" Asuma asked pointedly as he matched Kuushou's pace, not letting him end the conversation just yet.

"No."

Asuma grabbed his shoulder and spun him around. Kuushou reflected that the ninja in this world were taking far too many liberties in regards to him and that he might be required to do something about it relatively soon.

"Do you hate her?" Asuma asked intently, his eyes searching. "Are you doing this just to watch her struggle?"

Kuushou's expression closed off, his face becoming a blank mask that even Danzo would be hard-pressed to match.

"No," he answered, his tone glacial. "Now remove your hand, Sarutobi-jounin."

Asuma slowly removed his hand, his eyes narrowed. "You aren't doing yourself any favors, Naruto," he said lowly. "A lot of people have their eyes on you, for better or for worse, and the Hokage has overruled many objections by giving you the trust and responsibility he has. If things don't turn out well, there will be consequences, and not just for you. You would do well to keep that in mind."

"That is an interesting perspective, Sarutobi-jounin," Kuushou replied calmly. "From _my _perspective, those people are delusional if they think I give a shit _what_ they think." He smiled grimly at Asuma's expression, noting his surprise and quickly growing anger. "I have not forgotten my situation when I arrived in this world, and it seems to me that the Hokage would have been well-served to start overruling people long ago."

He then left the clearing in an abrupt shunshin, giving Asuma no time to respond.

* * *

><p>Kuushou returned to the training ground after lunch – uninterrupted, for once – noting that Asuma had departed and that Shino was already waiting within. He had barely made it past the fence marking the boundary of the area before he was intercepted by the other person waiting inside – Kurenai.<p>

"Naruto Uzumaki," Kurenai said as she came to a stop in front of him, her tone neutral. Her chakra was agitated, though honestly not as much as he would have expected given their last encounter. "I apologize for my unwarranted assault on your person. There was no justification for my actions and I failed to behave in a manner befitting a ninja of Konoha." Her entire delivery was stilted, almost forced, and her bow was about as stiff as he had ever seen.

He left her in that position for several seconds, inwardly enjoying her increasing agitation, before he finally responded.

"What did you tell Hinata afterward?" he asked, still not acknowledging her words.

She pulled upwards, almost but not quite straightening completely, and met his gaze impassively as she answered. "I explained the circumstances surrounding your... changes, as well as the sensitive nature of that knowledge."

"And her response?"

"She eventually understood and agreed not to reveal anything."

Kuushou wondered if Kurenai was being as vague as possible to annoy him or out of some attempt to respect Hinata's privacy. Probably both.

"Will she be participating in the training sessions next week?" he asked next.

Some strange mixture of emotions flitted across her face, too well-controlled and gone too quickly for him to properly grasp what they were.

"Yes."

"Very well then. If there is nothing further, I am late for my meeting with Shino."

"And my apology?" Kurenai asked through gritted teeth, still maintaining her partial bow.

Kuushou fell silent, contemplating his response as he felt Kurenai's tension rising higher and higher. He could accept her apology and let the issue end there, or he could throw it back in her face and push for official action against her. Neither approach satisfied him; he wanted his payback to be personal, not some fine or note in her file and he also wasn't about to just let it go, either. He hadn't quite realized just how much respect and deference he received as Naruto Yamanaka until he arrived in this world. The lack of it here was… irksome.

Kuushou smirked, his eyes staring into Kurenai's. "Though I appreciate the sentiment, I do not recall any incident requiring such an apology."

Kurenai paused, then nodded once, sharply, and relaxed. "Very well, Uzumaki-san," she said, a small amount of gratitude leaking into her voice.

Kuushou just waved her off and turned, walking towards the center of the clearing. Kurenai no doubt believed he was letting the whole thing go, perhaps tacitly acknowledging that he had also been in the wrong. Allowing it to be handled in this manner also meant that there was no official record and that she would owe him a favor for that – a small one, but a favor nonetheless.

And he would also have plenty of time to come up with an appropriate response. Something suitably embarrassing, but not so excessive that the Hokage or Kurenai's friends would feel compelled to intervene.

* * *

><p>Yesterday's session with Shino had proceeded as he had expected, the stoic genin proving to be nearly as physically fit and skilled as the Shino he knew. The biggest difference was that the boy's kikaichuu were not used to his chakra and tended to drift towards him even when Shino attempted to send them elsewhere. That had also been an issue in his own world, but Shino had years to overcome that particular difficulty.<p>

This morning was the session he was the least certain of – Sakura's. The girl had managed to secure Kunoichi of the Year without the benefit of the Clan Kids' intervention, but her chakra reserves were astonishingly small and she did not appear to be physically fit. Her personality also seemed to be completely different.

Kuushou really didn't know what to make of those differences. He also didn't know what to make of the fact that unlike every training session prior to this, her teacher was _not _hiding among the trees. He couldn't sense Kakashi anywhere within the village, in fact.

"Good morning, Haruno-san," he said as he came to a stop next to her. She yelped in surprise, jumping to her feet from where she had been resting against a tree trunk.

"Naruto-baka!" she said, frowning. "Don't startl- … what did you call me?"

"Haruno-san," Kuushou repeated. The Hokage had told him of Naruto's persistent crush on the girl, but there was no way he was going to even pretend to maintain that, even before his "secret" became more or less common knowledge and rendered the entire issue moot.

Her expression changed rapidly, flitting from surprise to disbelief to disappointment and then settling on nervousness. "S-so… you really are from a different…" she trailed off, gesturing vaguely.

"Yes."

"Oh." She swallowed quickly, then said, "So, um, I guess we're supposed to get started? Are we going to spar?"

"Not yet. I want to get an idea of your fitness level first." She actually looked a little scared at that, for some reason.

After some jogging, a few sprints, and a quick set of pushups and situps, he had determined that she was fairly fit by civilian standards and that Iruka had perhaps been generous with his E-rank rating for her.

"Next, let's test your chakra control. What exercises do you know?"

"I've mastered the leaf exercise and its three variants," she proclaimed proudly.

Kuushou blinked. "_Three _variants?"

Sakura grinned smugly. "Yep, I can hover it over my hand, keep it stuck to my forehead, collect them barefoot while walking, and even move them around on my arms and legs," she proclaimed as if she had won some great victory.

Kuushou nodded in response. She'd clearly done some independent research outside of the Academy, because even in his world those exercises weren't exactly common.

"Then you're ready to move on to the next exercise – tree-walking. That's good, actually, since that will allow you to work on several areas at once."

She blinked, silently mouthing the words "tree-walking" as she nodded in response.

Once he had demonstrated the exercise and she had shown that she was genuinely gifted when it came to chakra control by getting it right on the first try, he explained what she would be doing for the rest of their time.

"To start with, I want you to run up the trunk of the tree as fast as you can. Once you reach the top, you will then stand on one foot against the side of the tree for five seconds, then take a single step downward and switch to the other foot, repeating that all the way down. Once you reach the bottom, you can take a short rest before running back to the top and doing it again."

Sakura looked very pale, but nodded. "Alright," she said, walking hesitantly to the base of the tree.

"Don't worry, once your legs get tired we'll take a break from that," he said, smiling softly.

She saw his smile and relaxed slightly. "That's good to hear," she said, letting out a nervous laugh. "After what Ino said about-"

"And switch to doing it solely with your hands," Kuushou interrupted.

Sakura's face went completely white.

* * *

><p>Unlike Ino, Sakura didn't even manage to make it the full four hours; she passed out just before the three-hour mark from straining her reserves too much. Unfortunately for her, she was three-quarters of the way up the tree when that happened.<p>

Kuushou sighed as he caught her and placed her against the base of the tree, fishing a chakra pill out of his supplies. He was surprised she had been willing to push that hard and disgusted that she didn't even recognize the beginnings of chakra exhaustion that had been showing up for the last thirty minutes. Still, he would admit, if only to himself, that he was actually impressed with her chakra control; her chakra efficiency was practically perfect, which allowed her to stretch her small reserves a surprisingly long way. If she could find a way to maintain that skill as her reserves grew larger, she could pull off some impressive feats.

A quick water jutsu had Sakura spluttering into wakefulness, her face shocked as she shook off the cold water. Her face contorted into anger before she blanched and looked up at the tree.

"What happened?" she asked quietly.

"Take this," Kuushou said impatiently, handing the chakra pill to her. Her eyes widened in understanding as she took it, popping it into her mouth and swallowing without difficulty.

"You passed out due to chakra exhaustion," Kuushou continued, answering her earlier question. "Did you not recognize the signs?"

She opened her mouth to reply, then slowly shook her head. "I've read about it, but that's the first time I've actually experienced it myself. I guess I was too focused on making it down the tree."

"You've never pushed yourself very hard, have you?" Kuushou asked, his voice neutral.

Sakura frowned and shook her head. "I never needed to. I was good enough to meet the minimum requirements for the Academy, and I focused my efforts on the mental parts instead... I got the Kunoichi of the Year title, though, so it worked!"

"Yes, you did attain an ultimately meaningless designation in a competition against Academy students. Congratulations."

Sakura flinched.

"It's not entirely your fault, I suppose," Kuushou allowed. "The _minimum _should have been much higher, and the teachers should have pushed you to work harder."

"Raw strength isn't everything!" Sakura protested. "Just look at the Nara clan, or the Intelligence Department, or even the Hokage!"

Kuushou cocked his head to the side. "I agree," he said. "In fact, I think you'll find that skill often beats power. I've seen it happen personally. On the other hand, sufficient raw power can make skill meaningless. Take, for example, the Kyuubi. When it attacked all the jutsu that the ninja of this village had crafted were meaningless."

"But the Fourth Hokage-"

"Yes, he did. And so that is an example of both raw power overcoming skill and skill overcoming raw power. Now, to bring this around to my point, right now it looks like you have the skill part of the equation in at least some respects."

Sakura nodded, looking faintly pleased but also confused.

"What you _lack_ is raw power, which is why your training will focus on building both your muscles and your chakra reserves."

Sakura frowned. "I don't want to look like some musclebound thug, though."

The clearing fell silent as Kuushou stared at Sakura. She shifted uncomfortably, glancing from side to side as she was unable to meet his eyes directly.

"If you are seriously more concerned with your appearance than your skill and strength as a ninja, then I suggest you stop now."

"Stop? You mean these training sessions? I thought we had to come."

"I mean stop pretending to be a ninja at all. Trying to train you while you have that mindset will be a waste of my time."

Sakura opened her mouth to object, looking hurt and confused, but Kuushou cut her off.

"Use that supposedly keen mind of yours. Do the kunoichi in this village look like musclebound thugs? Does _any _ninja look like that? Further, what do you think is going to happen when you get separated from your team on a mission and get cornered by an enemy ninja who has more raw power than you do skill? I'm sure you can imagine all sorts of scenarios that you would not like."

Judging by the disturbed expression on her face, she could.

"If you are going to avoid training or pushing yourself because of such idiotic reasons as that, do us both a favor and don't bother to show up next week."

With that, he left the clearing.

* * *

><p>Kuushou returned to the clearing after another lunch where Mareko attempted to convince him to join the hospital as a member of the staff. She'd shifted her approach to the perks of the job, including a salary that was much, much higher than what he knew the norm to be. He'd still refused, of course, but he wondered what she would try next.<p>

Sasuke was waiting in the clearing, visibly impatient, and once again Kakashi was nowhere to be found. He had picked up a group of four watchers, however, none of which he recognized. Interesting.

Sasuke focused on him the moment he stepped into the clearing.

"Fight me," he demanded.

"You do realize this is a _training _session, yes?" Kuushou asked curiously. Sasuke's current attitude reminded him of what he had been like following the Uchiha Rebellion... apparently he'd never gotten over that here.

Sasuke didn't reply, just grunting something unintelligible and dropping into a stance.

Kuushou eyed him for a moment then shrugged; he had intended to start with a spar after all, so this didn't really change anything.

The moment he dropped into a stance of his own Sasuke charged forward, leading with a short jab towards his stomach. Kuushou spun to the side, launching a kick at Sasuke's leg that the genin adeptly avoided. They sprang apart after that brief exchange. Sasuke looked faintly surprised, but he just snorted softly and charged forward again.

The exchange lasted nearly a minute this time, volleys of punches and kicks in both directions with neither landing a clean hit. As he began to discern Sasuke's skill, Kuushou mentally elevated Sasuke's rank, in taijutsu at least; either Iruka had underestimated the Uchiha or the other students didn't push him enough, because what he was showing now was at least a high C-rank.

Kuushou blocked a straight kick with his arms, and Sasuke used that leverage to launch himself into the air. When he landed, his hands were already blurring through seals and he was drawing in a deep breath.

"Fire Style: Fireball!" he announced before exhaling sharply.

The size of the fireball was respectable and it was well-controlled but Sasuke had aimed too high, undoubtedly expecting his opponent to attempt to jump out of the way. Rather than taking that approach, Kuushou rolled forward under the attack, allowing it to singe his back in exchange for catching Sasuke off guard.

Sasuke's eyes widened in shock before he found two feet planted in his face and he was thrown backwards. He attempted to roll with the attack, but his balance was thrown off and his one attempt to regain his feet ended with him falling sideways. He lay on the ground, shaking his head and pawing at his kunai pouch, then suddenly stilled when he felt cold metal resting against his throat.

"Very good," Kuushou said, withdrawing the blade. "You actually exceeded my expectations in that fight, which was definitely a welcome change."

Sasuke shook his head again and slowly climbed to his feet. His onyx eyes were studying Kuushou curiously, and his fist was slowly flexing.

"No one's ever gone _under _the Fireball before," he muttered finally.

"Which explains why you aimed so high," Kuushou replied, nodding. "Most students and genin would just see a giant ball of fire headed their way and try to get away from it. Once they've seen it a few times, though, they'll realize that unless they get hit head on it's little more than an annoyance."

Sasuke's face twisted angrily before he took a deep breath and calmed himself. Kuushou noted the change in expression but continued talking.

"It's not particularly fast at the best of times, and I wouldn't use it at all if you were farther away than you were. It's also easily countered by any number of water or earth jutsu, reversed by wind jutsu, and far too slow against lightning jutsu."

Sasuke's face was openly angry now. "So you're saying it's useless."

"Not at all," Kuushou replied, smirking. "Make a clone."

Sasuke eyed him curiously but complied, creating a standard illusion clone. Kuushou directed him to place it in the middle of the clearing, then began circling it as he talked.

"There are two problems with how you use the jutsu. First, you are still using the handseals and calling out the name of the attack. Personally I tend to avoid using _any _jutsu I haven't practiced to where I can use them swiftly and silently, but sometimes you need a specific jutsu that you haven't gotten to that point. That sort of skill is something that will come in time, and gets easier as you master more and more jutsu. The second problem, however, is range. I'm roughly five meters away at this point, which would give any enemy plenty of time to respond. If I do this, however..."

Kuushou suddenly blurred forward, appearing directly in front of the clone. Without making any handseals or saying a word, he opened his mouth and exhaled a ball of fire that immediately engulfed the clone.

He turned back to Sasuke, who was watching him with widened eyes and a small grin.

"If I use it like that," Kuushou concluded, "then the enemy doesn't have time to respond and often won't even see it coming."

"Teach me," Sasuke said eagerly.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: We'll start hitting some larger time skips with the next chapter, leading up to the Wave Mission then the Chuunin Exams. **

**I couldn't come up with anything interesting for Chouji or Shino, so I skipped those sessions entirely. As for the ones I did show, word of the previous sessions spread through various channels, so the later ones knew what to expect. What they did with that information varied, obviously, but I think their reactions are consistent with their personalities.**

**Trying to avoid "bashing" in these, particularly with Sakura, was rather interesting. I don't think the "of the Year" titles are actual titles so much as noting that Sasuke and Neji were the top of their class in their respective years, but I'm pretty sure there were multiple mentions that Sakura blew everybody else out of the water academically. What we see in canon, however, is that she is a fangirl through and through. Some of the things she and Ino did/said/thought were just... ridiculous. If taken seriously, the entire situation is rather horrifying. **

**In this story, she heard about what Ino went through and was rather concerned about it, but at the same time she doesn't want to back down from something her "rival" managed to get through. Between realizing just how far behind she is physically and the conversation at the end, she's gotten something of an early wake-up call. She really should have gotten this in the Academy, but... oh well.**

**Sasuke, funnily enough, was the one I was most worried about and yet the easiest to write. Once I shook off the bashing idea that he would hate anyone who was stronger than him, I looked at it from his perspective. In canon, he repeatedly challenges his peers who seem stronger than he does (Neji, Lee, even Naruto at times). The bashing interpretation is that he's looking to prove his Uchiha superioriousnessty, but there's a much simpler explanation. **

**He is, hands down, the most skilled member of his class at the start of canon. Period. This means that he hasn't had a real challenge or anyone capable of pushing him the entire time he was in the Academy. The moment he gets out of the Academy, he gets stuck with Sakura (his fangirl) and Naruto (the dead last), as well as a teacher who is chronically late, highly inattentive, and quite lazy.**

**From that perspective, how _would _he react to getting four hours a week with someone who _is _a challenge and is solely focused on making him stronger? Someone who doesn't cry foul when he tries to kick the spars up another notch? Someone who actually seems _happy_ when he pulls out potentially lethal jutsu?**


	7. The Last Word

Sasuke actually seemed reluctant to leave at the end of the training session, a marked departure from every other student he had seen so far. Kuushou had divided their time evenly between sparring and practice, and the Uchiha had taken to it with a fervor that surprised him. Still, he had more important things to do than continuing to train genin, even if Sasuke was the most eager of the lot.

Once Sasuke was on his way, loaded down with tips to increase his chakra control - he didn't know about tree-walking either, and was only aware of a single variant to the leaf exercise - Kuushou waited in the clearing for a few minutes, gathering his thoughts and waiting to see if any of the observers were going to accost him following the training session. None of them did, however, and he could feel two of them trailing after Sasuke while the other two split off in another direction.

Since nothing was going to happen there, Kuushou now had the rest of this day as well as the two following to himself. His next batch of seals weren't due to the Higurashi store for another week and he didn't see any reason to try to strike deals with other merchants, so he didn't need to do anything in that regard.

There was also the matter of the Forbidden Scroll... he hadn't retrieved it from its hiding place yet, and it wouldn't do to allow someone to accidentally stumble over it, regardless of how unlikely such an event was.

Yes, that would do nicely. Retrieve the scroll and then take a two day mission that would allow him time to peruse it at his leisure.

* * *

><p>Retrieving the scroll went well enough – using a minor genjutsu to create a distraction had given him enough time to slip underground, seal away the hidden nest of scrolls into one of his sealing scrolls, and return to the surface without anyone noticing his absence. The entire process had taken less than ten seconds.<p>

"So, where we headed first, Blondie?" Anko asked, her hands clasped behind her head as she walked beside him out of the gates of Konoha.

His attempt to take a solo mission, on the other hand, had failed before he even reached the Hokage Tower. Anko had spotted him, correctly deduced that he was taking another mission, and invited herself along. In other circumstances he wouldn't have minded, but this time it was a hindrance to his plans.

"I had planned to head north to Outpost Thirty, then sweep west until we hit Outpost Sixteen, then head back in."

"Works for me. Hopefully we'll find something interesting to keep us entertained."

* * *

><p>Kuushou eyed Anko's sleeping form, trying to decide if he should attempt to crack open the Forbidden Scroll now. She was the only ninja for miles in any direction, but he also had to respect that she was a damn good one. If he attempted to open it anywhere near her, she would probably sense his use of chakra and realize that he was doing something unusual; and that was without considering whatever security features the scroll had. It obviously lacked passive beacons, but he didn't know what would happen once he tried to open it.<p>

He could incapacitate her in some fashion, but there were so many ways that could go wrong, both immediately and long-term, that he swiftly discarded that idea. Moving away from her was safer in that regard, but their nightly patrols usually only encompassed a small area - moving far enough away to avoid detection would be extremely unusual.

Ultimately, though it was irritating, he decided to put it off for the time being. He was getting closer to securing the resources he would need to function without the support Konoha provided, but he wasn't there yet. There were too many ways things could go wrong, and he would hate to have to kill Anko just because he had become impatient.

He would need to find another way; extensive privacy seals within his own apartment, perhaps.

* * *

><p>The mission had passed without incident – not even a missing-nin to kill this time – and they had returned to Konoha two days later. Anko invoked the Ration Rule just before they entered Konoha, as she had after every mission, and he found himself buying her dango once again. Once that was taken care of and he had returned to his apartment, he immediately got to work on crafting and installing additional layers of privacy seals – enough to block the sight of a Hyuuga through sheer volume of chakra, if nothing else.<p>

Kuushou looked up from his work when he felt the chakra signature he had been subconsciously tracking stop outside his door. A moment later a series of sharp knocks echoed throughout his apartment. He recognized the signature, but had no idea why Kurenai of all people be visiting him at this hour.

"Yuuhi-jounin," he said after opening the door, "I can't say I expected to see you here."

"There is a matter I would like to discuss with you, Uzumaki-chuunin," she said formally. "May I come in?"

Kuushou stared at her for several seconds before finally nodding. "Very well," he said, stepping aside.

They settled down in the living room, Kuushou leaning against the marble table and Kurenai sitting uncomfortably on the edge of the couch.

"What is this about?" Kuushou asked.

"Tomorrow will be Hinata's second training session. I wanted to discuss your plans and explain some of my concerns."

"I am not required to do so. As long as the students are willing and show improvement, I have been given free rein to train them as I wish."

Kurenai's hands balled into fists, but she took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "I would be... grateful, if you would hear me out."

Kuushou was rather enjoying this, but decided to not push her any further just yet. "I'm listening," he said neutrally.

"As you may have gathered, Hinata had a significant crush on Naruto, and has for years. Her situation with her family and her clan is... difficult, and Naruto was one of the few positive things in her life. Finding out that he was gone, especially in the manner she did, was... traumatic. Her... _father_..." Kurenai trailed off, her hands balled into fists again.

Kuushou blinked at the way her tone changed - she managed to pack a shocking amount of loathing and disgust into a single word.

"Her father," Kurenai continued, her tone evening out, "did not help the situation. He gave her an ultimatum three days after that first training session: either she continues training with you or removes herself from the ninja forces entirely. He does not want a... _failure_ diminishing the reputation of the Hyuuga Clan."

"So she attends the training," Kuushou replied after a moment. "Problem solved."

"I heard about what you put Ino and Sakura through," Kurenai said tightly. "Your approach with them was harsh, almost excessively so, and the past has shown beyond a doubt that Hinata does not respond well to that type of instruction. However, Hinata does not wish to resign as a ninja, and so she will continue to attend your training." Kurenai had that odd expression on her face again. Kuushou focused on it a little more intently this time, and thought that it was... concern mixed with pride?

Kurenai drew in a deep breath. "If you approach Hinata like you have Ino and Sakura, the result will not be pretty. Physically she will likely be able to endure it, but mentally and emotionally having her greatest support, you, turn into yet another demanding and dismissive authority figure could destroy her."

She drew in a deep breath and then slipped off the couch, falling to her hands and knees and pressing her forehead to the floor. "I beg of you, please do not do that to her. I do not wish to see my student reduced to such a state."

Kuushou stared at her, thoroughly surprised. His limited interactions with Kurenai had shown she had a great deal of pride, and for her to abase herself in this manner, especially to him, revealed just how concerned she was about this.

Under other circumstances he might have enjoyed seeing her like this, but the knowledge that she was doing it for Hinata's sake rather than as the culmination of his own efforts ruined his enjoyment of the situation.

"Get up, Yuuhi-jounin," he said.

She did so hesitantly, looking at him cautiously.

"Tell me about the Hyuuga family, Yuuhi-jounin," Kuushou said. "Where is Hisana Hyuuga? Where is Hizashi Hyuuga? And why does Hiashi Hyuuga openly state that my attempts to train Hinata are 'wasting my time'?" He knew the answers to some of these questions, but he had yet to hear anyone speak of Hizashi Hyuuga's fate. This provided an excellent chance to learn what had happened to the ANBU Commander of his world.

Kurenai settled back onto the couch, her expression torn between relief and confusion, and began speaking.

* * *

><p>Kiba's second session went more smoothly than the first, although the Inuzuka felt compelled to threaten him with a severe beating if he made Hinata cry again. They both knew that there was no chance Kiba could deliver on that threat, but Kiba still made it anyway.<p>

Kuushou started off with another sparring session - only partly intended to drive home how outmatched Kiba was - then returned to chakra control training. Kiba was learning quickly, especially once he was informed of some of the more subtle uses of the skill.

Tree-walking and water-walking were core skills for any ninja, but they did far more than just allowing someone to traverse different surfaces. Once sufficiently mastered, the user could achieve perfect traction on any surface from any angle. The utility of this ranged from the obvious ability to walk on vertical surfaces to the incredibly subtle ability to launch yourself forward that little bit faster, to change directions without slipping.

Kuushou drilled the point home by running across the clearing twice. The first time he did so without utilizing any chakra technique at all. Then, prior to running back across the clearing, he used a few water jutsu to turn a stretch of the clearing into a muddy slop that Kiba had difficulty just walking normally on.

He finished the second trip faster than the first by a significant margin.

After the conclusion of that training session, Kuushou made his way to Ichiraku Ramen, his mind still contemplating how he was going to deal with Hinata. He had barely finished eating his first bowl when two familiar signatures approached the stand.

"Ah, Naruto-san, a pleasure to see you again," Mareko said as she entered the stand. "I hope you don't mind, but I've brought one of my associates who wanted to meet you. He had heard about your techniques and skill and was every bit as impressed as I was. This is Kabuto Yakushi."

"Ah, Yakushi-jounin," Kuushou said, turning to face Kabuto. "I'm flattered that one of the hospital's most skilled surgeons would be interested in my techniques." He had met Kabuto often during his time studying under Shizune, and everyone spoke quite highly of his abilities. He had never had occasion to work with him directly, however.

He knew something was off when Kabuto's expression froze and Mareko looked confused. "Oh," she said, understanding dawning in her face, "you must be referring to Ikuto Yakushi, Kabuto-kun's father. No, Kabuto is still a genin, and his talents lie more in the realm of field medicine."

Kuushou smiled apologetically. "My mistake," he said. That was bullshit; there was no way that tightly controlled and refined chakra belonged to a mere genin. This Kabuto wasn't exactly the same as the one he knew, but the differences seemed to be superficial. The obvious question was why this one was still a genin.

Kabuto's expression quickly morphed into embarrassed chagrin. "It's a bit of a shame, but I just don't have the knack for surgery that my father does. Still, I had hoped to talk with you and maybe get some tips that could help me improve, maybe push my skills forward enough that I could make chuunin."

Mareko nodded happily, smiling. "I'm sure Naruto-san will be able to teach you a lot, Kabuto-kun. I'd be more than happy to arrange for some time at the hospital if you need some materials or equipment to better demonstrate the techniques," she added. "I'll just leave you two to it, then."

Kabuto smiled, adjusting his glasses with one finger. "I look forward to learning all I can, Naruto-kun."

* * *

><p>Kuushou returned to the clearing, his thoughts now more focused on the strange conversation he'd just had with Kabuto Yakushi than his upcoming training session with Hinata. There was a genuine interest in medical techniques there, but the majority of the supposed genin's questions had focused on his past rather than his skills. There were also quite a few leading questions on the training sessions and his relationship with the Hokage. All in all, it had been a very interesting lunch that raised quite a few questions and answered none.<p>

He refocused as he entered the clearing, finding that Hinata was waiting for him and that Kurenai had once again taken up residence nearby in order to observe.

He paused, taking a moment to study Hinata as he had not seen the girl since the rather disastrous end of their training session one week ago. She was wearing her normal clothing; a beige, hooded jacket and dark pants that stopped at mid-calf along with ninja sandals. She had one kunai pouch strapped to her right leg and wore her forehead protector around her neck.

Her demeanor surprised him, though. From her reaction last week and Kurenai's words he had expected her to be nearly broken, even more quiet and reserved than she had been before. Instead she was straight-backed and staring at him intensely. Only her hands betrayed her, as they were clenched into fists and trembling at her sides.

"Hello, Hinata," Kuushou said neutrally.

"Hello, Naruto-kun," Hinata answered. She didn't stutter, and her voice was calm and even. "I am sorry for how I r-reacted last week. I should have given you time to properly explain." Her voice wavered slightly, but she managed to get through it without further stuttering.

"I too should apologize," he said. "I worded that rather... poorly. In fact, before we get started, I think we should have a little talk," Kuushou added, motioning for her to join him as he sat against a nearby tree.

Once she had settled in, he began. "How much do you know of my situation?" he asked.

"That you are Naruto, just from another reality. That the world you came from had a slightly different history, and that you were brought here on the day of the final exams," she recited. Her pale eyes were studying him intently as she spoke.

"Anything else?"

Hinata just shook her head wordlessly, her hands clasped together in her lap and trembling occasionally.

"Did anyone attempt to explain the unusual nature of my chakra?"

Hinata startled slightly, then shook her head again. "They just said it wasn't an issue and not to worry about it."

Kuushou snorted in disdain. "That's a half-truth at best, but we'll deal with that another time. What I need to know before we discuss anything else is... why did you decide to continue the training?"

Her hands started shaking harder even as she did her best to hide it. "My father-"

"Is an idiot and an asshole," Kuushou interrupted. Hinata's eyes widened in shock. "And that's not what I asked. Whatever ultimatum he gave you, there's a reason you chose this instead of resigning as a ninja. So, why are _you _continuing the training?"

Hinata swallowed thickly. "Kurenai-sen-"

"Again, _not _what I asked. I don't care about your father, or your teacher, or your friends, or the Hokage, or the Council, or anyone else. Why are _you _here?"

Hinata stared at him wide-eyed, her entire body trembling. Kuushou continued to match her gaze as if daring her to look away. Finally, Hinata answered his question in a quiet whisper, almost too low for him to hear, as one tear trailed down her face.

"I'm tired of being weak," she admitted softly. "I've tried to be nice, and kind, and thoughtful, and considerate, and it's cost me everything." Her voice was starting to grow louder, but she didn't seem to notice. "My mother is gone, my father thinks I'm worthless, my cousin hates me, my sister doesn't respect me, my teacher treats me like I'm about to fall apart, my teammates act like they have to protect me rather than work with me, the few friends I have treat me with pity, and now Naruto-kun is gone before I so much as held his hand. All because I was too _weak_ to do anything about it. I _hate_ it!"

She screamed that last part, then blinked as she found herself standing on her feet and looming over him. She flinched and drew back, obviously expecting some sort of reprisal. Kuushou watched her reaction, as well as noting how Kurenai had started towards the clearing only to freeze in place part way. He was especially impressed with the small burst of killing intent Hinata had released at the end. It was unfocused and untrained, but all the more impressive for that.

He returned his attention to Hinata, noting that the girl had yet to sit down and in fact looked like she might bolt again at any moment.

"Please, have a seat. I am not angry with you, and that was _exactly _the sort of answer I wanted to hear," he said, motioning for Hinata to sit once again. She did so hesitantly, her curiosity winning out as her fear slowly dissipated. "Let me tell you a story about a girl I knew."

"This girl was born into a noble clan, famed for a certain _doujutsu,_" he said, causing Hinata's eyes to widen as she realized just who he was talking about. "She was trained in the clan's arts from an early age, studying alongside her cousin under the tutelage of her father. She also received extensive instruction from her mother, whose modifications to the style were more suited to the girl than the traditional form.

"The girl grew up to be skilled, and powerful, and a strong example of the potential of her clan. She was nice, and kind, and thoughtful, and considerate. She was friends with the children of the other clans, and often spent time with them, either playing or practicing her ninja skills. She was also one of the few people I respected," Kuushou finished, causing Hinata's eyes to widen before her expression fell.

"It's too late," she murmured mournfully. "I could never be like that now."

"For all the potential and advantages that girl had, however," Kuushou continued, "she lacked a vital something. She could become powerful, but never the most powerful. She could become skilled, but never the most skilled. Held back because she lacked that one vital thing."

Hinata's entire being was focused on his words as she paid rapt attention to what he would say next. "What she lacked," he said slowly, "was hatred."

Hinata blinked. "Hatred?" she repeated dully. Her expression was visibly confused.

"I do not refer to some vague, undirected impulse that causes someone to lash out indiscriminately," Kuushou clarified. "I speak of the kind of hatred that fuels you, the kind that sharpens your focus and burns through your own hesitation like an inferno, the kind of hatred that _drives _you."

Hinata nodded slowly, and Kuushou could see the beginnings of understanding in her eyes.

"That girl worked hard, but she never _struggled. _She had difficulties, but she never truly _failed_. And while she occasionally did not win, she never _lost._"

"Why...?" Hinata asked slowly.

"Why does it matter? Why does that make the difference?" Seeing her nod, Kuushou continued. "No one ever really knows their own limits until they have slammed into them headfirst. Until that happens, until you _know_, you can't possibly find a way to overcome them. When you do, however, when you stand at the base of that towering wall and look up to see no end in sight, when you see how that wall is stopping you from achieving everything you ever wanted, and when you _hate_ it with every fiber of your being" he paused, grinning widely as he stared into her eyes, "that's when you start climbing."

* * *

><p>The training session began shortly after that, Hinata throwing herself into each task with an intensity that he wouldn't have thought her capable of. It was a gradual process, coming in fits and starts, but Kuushou could already see the girl shedding her hesitation like a snake shedding its skin, each piece sliding off to reveal something clearer and brighter. Her movements were becoming sharper and more focused, her strikes cleaner. She even took off her jacket without any prompting from him, visibly struggling with the decision but forcing herself to do it anyway. Whatever reaction she had feared or worried about didn't come, which seemed to help her along considerably.<p>

It was true that she was unlikely to become exactly like the Hinata of his world, but he hadn't been lying to her either. This Hinata had experienced a kind of cruelty and neglect that the other girl probably couldn't even imagine, and it had planted the seeds of something altogether darker and deadlier within her. Trying to bring that out would be a satisfying diversion from the daily monotony of training and missions.

Once the training session was over, Hinata paused before she left the clearing entirely. "When did it happen for you?" she asked softly.

"The moment I was born," he replied, knowing what she was asking. She clearly didn't understand what he meant, but accepted his answer and left the clearing without saying anything further.

Kurenai made her way into the clearing a few seconds later, her pace slow and measured.

"I... misjudged you," she said softly. "What you just did for Hinata... I... thank you," she said finally.

"You seem to have a habit of misjudging people, Yuuhi-jounin," Kuushou replied. He stifled a grin when he saw her flinch. "I hope you aren't planning on interfering further."

"I... no," she said, her shoulders slumping and her head bowed.

Now _that _was what he wanted to see.

"Good."

* * *

><p>His time settled into a routine after that, alternating between missions, training sessions, and his own projects. His bank account steadily grew, and he began setting aside some funds to be carried on his person at all times.<p>

It had taken him another two weeks to place enough privacy tags around his apartment that he was sure even a Hyuuga wouldn't be able to see within – due to the sheer amount of chakra involved, if nothing else. He waited another two weeks to see if anyone would comment or investigate, but when nothing happened he felt secure enough to finally crack open the Forbidden Scroll.

It didn't go quite as smoothly as he would have preferred, as it took him another week to decipher the security seals and find a way to deactivate them. Even then he had to make extensive use of his youki to bypass or suppress sections, which simultaneously amused him that he could do it and annoyed him that he had to.

At length, though, he succeeded in opening the scroll without setting off any chakra flares or destroying the entire thing.

The first technique he came across was actually quite promising, even if it was a clone technique. The Kage Bunshin created a completely autonomous, solid clone that was not only indistinguishable from the original, but even returned its experiences and knowledge to the user when the clone was dispelled. Even with his range limitations, such a technique could prove valuable on or off the battlefield.

That was apparently how it worked for humans, anyway. For him, whose true self was composed entirely of youki, it was significantly less impressive. He created the clone easily enough, but he simply found that he was in two places at once and forced to split his attention between them. He had extensive practice with that thanks to his tails and to a lesser extent his experiments with chakra control, but it was still him. Ultimately, it was only marginally more useful than the earth clone or water clone he already knew.

That seemed to be the way of it for most of the techniques in the scroll - they either relied on range that was not available to him or conferred abilities that were no better than what he could already do.

A variant of the Kage Bunshin that created clones that could explode on command, a technique to allow the user to experience the senses of another living creature from miles away, a technique to bombard the user's surroundings with numerous fireballs for up to a hundred meters in all directions... all potentially useful, and all closed to him due to his damnable seal.

Even the Eight Gates, which seemed promising at first, ultimately had very limited application. The ability to force his body to produce massive amounts of human chakra did not seem like it would benefit him much; the human reserves at his disposal were already among the largest ever recorded, and that was without including his youki. There might come a time when he needed more energy than that, however, so it was worth learning.

As he determined how he could manipulate the body in order to produce the effects described by the scroll, however, a thought occurred to him. If he could do this to his container, what was to stop him from doing it to other ninja? Vague ideas began forming in his mind.

Setting aside those thoughts for later, he continued exploring the scroll. Soon afterwards he encountered the Impure World Resurrection Technique. The ability to rip souls out of the afterlife and make them obey his every whim sounded like it could be put to all sorts of... interesting uses, and all he had to do was offer up another life in exchange. That was hardly any price at all.

Unfortunately, the technique also stated that a control seal was required to force the resurrected to actually follow orders, and the scroll did not contain the design for such a seal. It apparently assumed that any user would know how to create one on their own.

The other problem was the same as he had with so many other techniques; he had to continuously provide chakra to fuel the technique, which once again ran into the limitations imposed by his seal.

The irony that, without the seal, he never would have bothered to learn any of these techniques - or understood just how much _more _he could do with his own youki - was not lost on him. It didn't make him hate the seal any less, however.

A large portion of the next set of jutsu were dedicated to techniques that mimicked abilities he knew to be considered clan-specific.

One "medical" technique that forcibly altered the eyes, allowing the user to see long distances. The scroll specifically noted that the user could not see through solid objects, and the technique was eventually forbidden as repeated uses swiftly caused permanent blindness.

Another, labeled as a "lesser" mind-walking technique, had similarly mixed results. Users were able to enter another person's mind, but in the majority of cases the technique drove both the user and the target insane.

One technique increased the size of the user's limbs - sealed due to difficulty reversing the process as well as permanent damage incurred when the technique failed. Another designed to "imprint" an animal as loyal to the user - the notes on the technique claimed it was restricted because the technique drastically shortened the animal's lifespan - the longest an animal survived was two months, hardly enough time to train them properly - in addition to a relatively high failure rate of one out of four. That alone didn't seem enough to justify the restriction, but much like the other techniques Kuushou thought the clans themselves might have had something to say about the village trying to steal or emulate their signature techniques. Pissing off the clans, the backbone of Konoha's might, over techniques that were of questionable value seemed like a bad idea all around.

A technique that lengthened the user's perception of time rounded out the group - sealed because the technique often put the user into a trance rather than leaving them functional.

Somehow, he wasn't at all surprised to learn that Konoha had spent a considerable amount of time attempting to replicate the techniques of their clans. It wasn't clear whether their efforts had failed because the clans had some sort of subtle bloodline that allowed them to use such techniques effectively (or obvious one, in the case of the Uchiha and Hyuuga) or if they had failed because the village was attempting to do this on the sly without any assistance from the clans.

As he continued reading, he encountered more long-range techniques along with three distinct techniques that turned the user into a living bomb by forcibly detonating all of the chakra in their body - ironically, he could essentially do that already by breaking his seal.

He paused when he came across a technique that claimed it would attract all metal within a variable range to the user's location. It was actually labeled as a suicide technique for two reasons - the chakra requirements were absurdly high and the metal attracted (commonly kunai or other bladed weapons) traveled at absurdly high speeds and often killed the user.

The technique sounded interesting, but it was the note that the chakra was focused on a single point that peaked his interest. If that was true, then it would not run afoul of his seal. He noted the name for later study - Kinjyou no Tsurikomu no Jutsu, Attraction of the Impregnable Fortress Technique.

Another technique that provided endless amusement from the mere fact of its existence was listed simply as Kuchiyose Hakai no Jutsu, Summoning Disruption Technique. With enough warning, the user could prevent another ninja from summoning an Outling to their side. There appeared to be no debilitating effects from using it, and although the technique was designed to cover an area upwards of two kilometers for a period of nearly a minute, there was technically nothing preventing him from using it himself... other than the unlikelihood than a ninja would attempt to summon in combat when he close enough to them to use the technique.

Then he reached the end of the scroll and found the entries for the Shiki Fuujin no Jutsu and the Hakke no Fuuin Shiki.

These two seals, it seemed, were how Minato Namikaze had sealed his counterpart in this world. As he had expected, the Death God was still involved, though it was unclear why this world's Naruto had survived the sealing process. That was the entire purpose of the Shiki Fuuin.

What concerned him, however, was the Hakke no Fuuin Shiki. He could pick out portions of the seal that greatly resembled the chakra storage component of an exploding tag. Other sections he couldn't fully decipher, but large parts of it were simply storage.

And if that was the case... how had it managed to contain him for over a decade? His youki should have continued to build up over time and ruptured the seal, and that was without considering what he could have done to simply overwhelm some portion of it.

Perhaps the other sections he didn't yet fully understand held the answer, but the vague uneasiness that he had been feeling ever since he had discovered that he had been present in this world long after his banishment should have taken place strengthened.

* * *

><p>His newly established routine was interrupted a few days later when Anko came knocking on his door.<p>

"We've got a possible mission, Blondie," she said without preamble. "It's not a patrol though," she added. "Officially, our mission is to reinforce the team on site. Unofficially, we'll be performing recon, actively hunting missing-nin, and," her gaze honed in on him, her eyes watchful, "possibly assassinating a civilian target."

"That sounds like it would take longer than two days," Kuushou responded after a moment.

Anko relaxed, grinning slightly. "It'll probably take longer than two _weeks _actually, but Hokage-sama selected me for the mission and gave me free rein to choose my own partner. You're it."

"Rank?"

"A, possibly AA," Anko answered.

Kuushou grinned eagerly. "I'm in."

* * *

><p>The Hokage frowned when they entered his office, sending a sharp glance Anko's way. "This is your partner for this mission, Mitarashi-jounin?"<p>

"His combat rating is sufficient, and he agreed in principle after he was informed of the mission type and rank, Hokage-sama," Anko replied firmly.

The Hokage's frown deepened, but he eventually nodded.

"What's this about, Hokage-jiji?"

"Team Gai recently took a C-rank mission to the Land of Waves, a fairly standard escort and guard. They left four days ago, and we just received a message from Gai indicating that their client was being targeted for assassination by the businessman known as Gato. Apparently their client's work on building a bridge spanning the channel between the Land of Waves and the Land of Fire is threatening Gato's shipping monopoly.

"Normally this would not be a cause for concern, but Gato has seen fit to employ missing-nin to carry out this assassination attempt. As the missing-nin attacked despite the presence of Konoha ninja, this has become a little more serious than a civilian squabble.

"Gai made a call as the leader of the team and decided that continuing the mission was both viable and in the best interests of Konoha; as the client lied about their being a known threat to his life, Gai would have been well within his rights to terminate the contract on the spot. While he chose to continue, he also requested that additional backup be sent as soon as possible, specifically a combat team prepared to deal with missing-nin ranked B to A."

"That's our official mission," Kuushou said.

"Yes," the Hokage said flatly. "In reality, that is your secondary mission. Your primary mission is to eliminate any missing-nin operating in the area, as well gathering evidence to confirm the identity of their employer."

"And when we can identify their employer?" Kuushou asked when the Hokage didn't continue.

"Then you are to eliminate him as well," the Hokage said slowly, his eyes lingering on Kuushou's form. He closed his eyes for a brief moment; when he reopened them, they were hard and he resumed speaking in a firm tone. "Konoha will not tolerate anyone employing missing-nin this close to our borders, especially if they are willing to attack our ninja or those under our protection."

The Hokage picked up a small scroll and tossed it to Anko. "That contains the latest information available to us, as well as a full copy of Gai's report. Now that you are aware of all pertinent details, do you accept this mission?" His eyes lingered on Kuushou as he continued. "You are not required to do so."

Kuushou shrugged. "It's fine, Hokage-jiji. It needs to be done, and I rather like working with Anko."

She grinned, most of the remaining tension easing out of her body. "Love ya too, Blondie," she teased.

The Hokage studied him for a moment before he nodded, slipping back into a more formal demeanor. "Very well. Since you are accepting, you need to travel as quickly as possible to join up with Gai and his team and get the latest intelligence on the situation. Everything we currently have is included in the mission scroll. Do either of you have any other questions before you leave?"

"What is the chain of command?" Anko asked immediately.

"Gai will have overall authority as the ranking ninja in the field, but you will be operating independently of his team. Unless there is a clear and immediate threat to his client, you are not required to follow his orders. That said, I expect you to be able to work together. Naruto-kun will of course report to you, and Gai's team, as genin, will answer to yourself or Naruto should they find themselves working with either of you."

"Standard rules of engagement?"

"Yes," the Hokage replied. "I expect you will have minimal contact with civilians, but try to make a good impression. Securing positive relations with Wave now could prove invaluable once their economy recovers."

"Hmm... what about the training sessions?" Kuushou asked next. "This mission is likely to last at least a week."

"The sessions will be canceled for the duration of the mission. I'm sure the students will appreciate the chance to enjoy their days off, for a change," he added, smirking slightly.

Once it was clear neither had any further questions, the Hokage continued, "If that is all, you are dismissed. Good luck."

* * *

><p>"How long do you need to get ready, Blondie?" Anko asked as they left the Tower.<p>

"Ten minutes," Kuushou replied easily.

Anko paused. "Really?" she asked, surprised.

Kuushou shrugged. "I keep all the gear I would need on my person at all times; one of the many, many benefits of being able to make your own storage scrolls. The ten minutes is just so I can lock down my apartment properly."

She eyed him for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. Meet me at the south gate in ten minutes."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thanks to the SB forums for providing feedback on this chapter. **

**The differences in the start of the Wave Mission partly reflect what I see as a more reasonable approach (although far from the only valid one) as well as differences in style between Gai and Kakashi. Without adding a lot of supposition and background information, I can't fully explain Kakashi's decision to continue in canon without throwing around words like "arrogant", "conceited", "naive", etc. **

**In fact, if you think about it, even in canon all of them should have died right then and there. If Haku had just taken out the genin once Zabuza had Kakashi trapped, or even just sniped Tazuna... oh well.**

**Gai's team isn't ready to face off against Zabuza and Haku either, but they do have a full year of experience more and a very effective scout in Neji. Coupled with the request for reinforcements specifically to deal with any other threats, that's a much more justifiable situation. **

**As for what my approach to the Wave Mission will be, I doubt it's _never _been done before, but it should be fairly unusual. I followed the canon path for the Wave Mission much more closely (to a point) in Ramen Days, and it was even more painful trying to write it than it was to read it. All the little niggling details that resulted in the canon conclusion to that mission, and all the contrived coincidences to get there... ugh.**

**As an aside, you know what the single most irritating things about those rehashes is? It's not how Zabuza always end up dying somehow (Haku's likelihood of dying is directly related to whether Haku is male or female, it seems), or how Naruto somehow miraculously just happens to find himself out in the woods just in time to meet Haku... those are annoying, but not the worst.**

**The worst is how Naruto, regardless of how competent or godlike he is, _never _actually protects Tsunami properly. Without fail, the thugs will get past whatever defenses the team has set up (if they even bothered) and manage to take Tsunami hostage just long enough for Inari to prove how "brave" he is by getting his face kicked in, then for Naruto to swoop in and dramatically save Tsunami before rushing off (leaving them alone again, usually). **

**No. Just... no. **

**As always, thanks for reading and thanks for all the reviews!**


	8. Think Twice

Kuushou was surprised to find that Anko was actually faster than him.

They had both agreed that, at least for the first part of the trip, they should move as quickly as possible. Once they crossed into Wave they would sacrifice speed for awareness of their surroundings, but until they point they would push as hard as they could. They had traveled together before, but Anko had always set the pace and hadn't pushed for more speed even when she saw he could keep up.

This time, she raised the pace and kept on raising it. Kuushou pumped more and more chakra into his body, but eventually he reached the point where he was literally doing more harm than good. Pushing his muscles that hard, even with chakra reinforcement, was tearing them apart. He managed to push past that point a bit, healing the damage as they ran, but ultimately he simply couldn't maintain his body's motion while distributing his chakra and youki while also healing the damage caused.

Anko didn't say anything – in fact, she looked pleasantly surprised – but she dropped her speed to match his and stayed there. He was annoyed to find that she was using significantly less chakra than he was, and she certainly wasn't having to heal damage while she ran. He suspected that it was simply a matter of size – his legs were shorter and his muscles, no matter how dense, were simply smaller. There was also the matter of his lost conditioning – he couldn't recall ever having to match pace with a veteran ninja going all out, but he suspected his old body would have managed the task much better.

On the other hand, when they finally reached the coast many hours – and a few short breaks – later, Anko was panting steadily and her reserves were nearly halved. He, on the other hand, caught his breath easily and didn't even notice the chakra drain.

"Alright, Blondie, we're moving into hostile territory from here on out. Don't let your guard down," Anko said as she caught her breath and swallowed a chakra pill she had pulled out of her pack.

"How are we getting into Wave?"

"Gai was going to hire a boat to make the crossing, but he had genin with him. You up for running it?"

Kuushou smirked. "Are you?"

Turned out she was faster than him on water as well.

* * *

><p>"Hmm...," Anko mused as she knelt on the ground and conferred with the snake. "Blood from two different people over here, one much more heavily injured than the other."<p>

She stood and moved away from the edge of the water, towards an area where the earth and surrounding trees had been pierced by a large number of irregularly shaped projectiles.

"Blood from four different people over here, none seriously injured. Location of the ambush suggests a water-user, possibly another missing-nin from Kiri. The scent puts this at two days ago, same day we got Gai's letter."

"Looks like he was right to request backup, then," Kuushou mused.

"Looks like," Anko agreed. "What bothers me...," she added, straightening up, "is that there were _seven_ people in the fight."

* * *

><p>It took them less than an hour to follow the trail of the larger group and arrive at a two-story home situated a short distance outside of a village.<p>

They were met outside of the home by the three genin on Team Gai. Neji stepped forward and bowed slightly. "We have been expecting you," he said.

Kuushou surveyed the team, noting the bandages all of them had festooned on various places on their bodies. They had bags under their eyes, indicating that they had not slept well, and Tenten and Lee both looked like they had been crying recently.

Anko frowned. "Where's Gai?" she asked without preamble.

The team flinched, Lee looking particularly upset. "Gai-sensei was injured in a battle with a missing-nin and is currently incapacitated," Neji explained, his voice hollow.

"Time for you to get busy, Blondie," Anko said, motioning for everyone to move inside.

* * *

><p>Injured, it turned out, was something of an understatement.<p>

Gai was laid on his stomach, blood-soaked bandages packed around and into a massive gash across his side and back. He was sweating profusely and his skin deathly pale.

"He said that his opponent was Zabuza Momochi, the Demon of the Bloody Mist," Neji began to explain, his eyes staring at Gai's prone form. "He was winning the fight, but I noticed that there was another ninja in the area. She was dressed as a hunter-nin, but was traveling alone and studying our team rather than focused on the missing-nin that should have been her prey. I concluded that she was in fact Zabuza's accomplice.

"I alerted Gai-sensei to her presence... which proved to be a mistake," he paused, and took in a deep breath. Once he had himself under control, he continued, "The fake hunter-nin created numerous shards of ice out of thin air and hurled them towards ourselves and the client. Our injuries likely would have been much more serious had Gai-sensei not intercepted and deflected a large number of them. Zabuza used that opening to strike at him from behind."

When Neji next spoke, his voice was tinged with respect and awe. "Even as he was wounded, Gai-sensei managed to counter-attack as well. Whatever he did to Zabuza caused the missing-nin to immediately collapse. His accomplice took Zabuza and retreated rather than continuing the assault."

"Anything of note after that?" Anko asked.

"No," Neji said, shaking his said. "We have kept the client and his family confined to this house and shored up our defenses here. Our efforts have been focused on healing him as best we could and holding on until reinforcements arrived."

Anko nodded. "Good move. I would have preferred if you'd manage to scout a bit, but I can see why you didn't. What's he lookin' like, Blondie?"

"Pretty bad, all things considered," Kuushou replied. "He's overdosed on blood pills, which is preventing his wound from clotting properly. There's also some sort of poison in his system that's messing with his recovery as well, and the wound has gotten infected."

Tenten choked back a sob and covered her mouth. "I'm sorry," she said, "he was just losing so much blood and-" she stopped when Kuushou held up his hand, an annoyed look on his face.

"I didn't say you did anything wrong; given the size of the wound he might have died from blood loss otherwise. Besides, it's nothing I can't fix."

"Why bother?" a voice asked from the hallway. The attention in the room shifted to a little boy dressed in overalls who was glaring at the ninja from under the brim of his hat. "You're all just going to die anyway – Gato's going to kill all of you."

"Just _shut up_!" Tenten snarled, rounding on the little boy with fury etched on her face. "_You_-"

She was restrained by Lee before she could say anything further, but the entire team was glaring at the little boy.

Before anyone could say anything else, a young woman came up behind the boy and pulled him down the hallway. "Inari," she scolded, "I've told you to leave the ninja alone."

Anko watched the two disappear back downstairs before turning back to the room. "Well that's an unpleasant little shit," she said.

Lee frowned. "He is most unyouthful," the green-clad genin said. He shook his head and slapped his face rapidly. "Yosh!" he suddenly cried out, whirling back towards Kuushou. "Your Flames of Youth are burning brightly, to be able to help Gai-sensei! I will assist in any way I can!"

"You can _assist _by leaving me to work in peace," Kuushou growled, pointing towards the door. The genin nodded and quickly left the room, shooting glances towards him and Gai as they went. Anko remained behind, leaning against the door frame.

"How long til he's up and about?" she asked.

"Hmm...," Kuushou mused, already beginning to repair the damage and flush out the poison, "about an hour."

"This isn't the time for jokes, Blondie," she snapped. "I need to know when I can count on him being up and about so we can get to work."

Kuushou turned to her, one eyebrow raised. "Who's joking?"

* * *

><p>"Lee!" Gai cried out, spreading his arms wide. He still looked a little pale and had lost a bit of weight, but he was standing firmly and moving energetically.<p>

"Gai-sensei!" Lee exclaimed, rushing forward and embracing his mentor tightly.

"Tenten!" Gai called, holding out one arm.

"Gai-sensei!" Tenten sobbed as she clutched at him, tears streaming down her face.

"Neji!" Gai beckoned.

Neji stood nearby as if he was frozen in place, his face taut with restrained emotion. When he didn't immediately reply, Lee and Tenten both reached out and pulled him into the group hug. He still didn't say anything, but he wasn't fighting the embrace either.

Kuushou turned to see Anko watching the scene with an odd expression on her face. "Is that normal?" he asked.

Anko shrugged. "For Gai, it kinda is, yeah. For anyone else... well, it's the rare team that manages to bond that closely. Sometimes it turns them into a powerhouse, like the Ino-Shika-Cho... and sometimes it backfires," she said, rubbing the side of her neck.

She didn't say anything else, just turned and went back downstairs. Tazuna and his family were gathered in the living room, the old man's gaze turned upward as he tried to make out the shouting from upstairs.

"Is everything alright?" Tsunami asked from her spot on the couch. She had a tight hold on Inari, who was sitting next to her and glaring balefully at the two ninja who had walked into the room.

"They're fine," Anko replied, waving her hand dismissively. "That's just Gai and his team."

Tsunami's face crinkled with worry. "They should really let him rest," she said.

Anko snorted in amusement. "Ha. Something tells me that he'll be the one running them ragged soon. They've missed... what, three days of training now? That's practically blasphemy."

"But... he was seriously wounded," Tsunami protested.

Anko reached over and messed up the hair on Kuushou's head. "Blondie here took care of that. Gai's already up and about, and he'll be at full strength in no time."

Tsunami and Tazuna stared at them stunned, while Inari wrenched himself out of his mother's arms and shot to his feet. "You're lying!" he yelled. "Nobody could survive getting hurt like that!" He turned and rushed up the stairs. Tsunami started after him, her face pained, but before she even reached the stairs the sound of a door slamming shut echoed through the house.

Her shoulders slumped. "Inari...," she whispered.

"Cute kid," Anko said sarcastically.

"Inari wasn't always like that...," Tazuna began.

"Don't care," Anko said. "C'mon Blondie, we're going to patrol a bit while Team Gai is still out of it."

* * *

><p>Kuushou joined Anko and Gai in the kitchen early the next morning, while Gai's team and the other occupants of the house were still asleep. Gai had quickly summarized everything he had learned about Zabuza, his accomplice, and their supposed employer, Gato.<p>

"So what did you do to Zabuza?" Anko asked eventually.

"I struck him with the Midnight Viper technique," Gai said, his expression grave. "It is one of the ultimate techniques of the Iron Fist; when executed correctly, it crushes the opponent's heart."

"Now _that's_ my kind of technique," Anko said, smirking. "So Zabuza's dead then?"

"When executed _correctly_," Gai stressed. "The technique was only partially effective; at best, it merely stopped his heart. Even if that is the case, his accomplice could easily have restarted his heart after retreating."

Anko leaned back against the kitchen table, frowning. "Tch. He's had three days to act since then. Why hasn't he done anything? We're at the client's _house_, for fuck's sake – it's not like it would be hard to find us."

"Just because he is not dead does not mean he is uninjured, but I share your concern. His accomplice at least was completely unharmed. However, Neji has reported that neither Zabuza nor his companion have approached the house at any time. He could not have his byakugan active at all times, of course, but there has been no sign that they have been anywhere near here."

Anko nodded. "Fair enough. Now then, I believe it's time for us to get on with our work. Plan A is to check in tonight and let you know if we've found anything. If we go two days without contact, assume we've been KIA."

Gai frowned but nodded. "Now that the most youthful Naruto-san has healed me, my team will be protecting Tazuna-san and his family while he resumes work on his bridge. We shall also keep our eyes and ears open in case we encounter anything suspicious."

Gai turned to Kuushou and bowed. "Thank you again, Naruto-san, for healing me. You saved not only my life but likely the lives of my team as well. If there is any way I can repay you, please do not hesitate to ask."

Kuushou grinned. "I'll keep that in mind," he said.

* * *

><p>"Alright, Blondie, here's the deal," Anko said as they came to a stop somewhere deep in the forest behind Tazuna's house. "We know from Tazuna that Gato is essentially paying bands of thieves and two-bit thugs to do his dirty work for him, and that he uses them almost exclusively. The deal with Tazuna is apparently one of the few times he's pulled in actual ninja. He's also greedy as fuck, and so I doubt he's going to pay ninja to do things his thugs can do."<p>

Kuushou nodded in agreement, wondering where she was going with this.

"So, there are two ways we could do this: the boring way, where we break into Gato's headquarters or home to find evidence that he's the one hiring missing-nin; and the _fun_ way."

"And what is the _fun_ way?" Kuushou asked when Anko didn't continue.

She grinned maliciously, an eager glint in her eyes. "We start killing all the thugs until Gato sends out the big boys."

Kuushou eyed Anko for a moment, reflecting on how odd it was to be talking with someone who had just as little regard for human life as he did. Well, almost – she seemed to take attacks on Konoha ninja personally, even when she didn't have any personal connection with them. She hadn't actually known any of the group of chuunin who had died during their first mission, for instance.

"It's a two-for-one, even," Anko added when he didn't respond immediately. "The thugs are bothering everyone in Wave, and if we do it my way Konoha will not only be visibly protecting the guy building the bridge that's going to save everyone's asses, but we'll also get credit for cleaning up the short-term problems too. How's that for making a good impression, huh?"

Kuushou snorted in amusement, then shrugged. "The fun way it is."

* * *

><p>It had been trivial to track down some of Gato's men. A group of ten had swept into a small town about eight kilometers west of Tazuna's home, terrorizing the civilians they encountered and smashing a few windows – apparently just for the hell of it. Their work done for the day, the group had then descended on the nearest bar and begun consuming everything that even smelled like alcohol.<p>

A couple of pointed questions about the recent damage was all it took for one of the shaken civilians to point them towards the bar.

When they paused outside, Kuushou could hear the raucous laughter and coarse yelling clearly through the walls of the building.

"You don't want to go in there," a man said from behind them. They turned to find a merchant running a small food stand seemingly intent on his cooking, though he was watching them and the bar warily out of the corner of his eye. "It's best just to let them drink themselves stupid and move on. Less trouble for everyone that way."

"Aww," Anko cooed, clutching her hands over her heart, "I'm touched that you're worried for little ol' me. Thing is, though," she added, smirking, "that I _like _trouble."

Anko then marched across the street and threw the door open, striding into the bar like she owned the place. She walked past the three tables occupied by the thugs and slapped her hand on the bar, gesturing grandly as she yelled, "I'll have the best you've got, on the double!"

Kuushou walked in behind her at a more sedate pace, closing the door behind him. He eyed the few remaining customers who were huddling in a corner and looking as if they wished they were anywhere else for a moment, then shrugged and discreetly jammed a kunai into the doorframe, wedging the door shut; if the civilians hadn't left by now, they weren't going to leave before the _fun _started.

Sure enough, only a few seconds later three of the thugs walked up to Anko, surrounding her as she leaned back against the bar, her coat gaping open to reveal her tight clothing.

"Whaddya say you bring that bottle over to our table, huh? You look like you want a good time, and good times is our sp- spek... speecialty," the thug leered, his voice already slightly slurred from the alcohol he had consumed.

Kuushou slid along the wall, going almost completely unnoticed as the room focused on the drama unfolding at the bar.

"I don't know," Anko demurred, her voice managing to somehow sound innocent and sultry at the same time, "you guys look like you're the rough type."

That got a round of laughter from the group. "Don't worry, babe," one of them said, stepping forward and sliding his arm around Anko's waist, "we can be _real _gentle-like."

Anko pouted, bringing one hand up and touching it to her bottom lip. "That's a shame," she replied, her voice gaining an eager edge, "I _like _it rough."

She spun suddenly, a kunai appearing and stabbing through the hand that had been gripping her waist, pinning it to the side of the bar. The bar was silent for a moment, everyone staring at her, then the wounded thug let out a yell of pain and the room exploded into motion.

Anko was a blur, a wide grin on her face and maniacal laughter pouring from her lips. While the thugs were struggling to move away from their chairs and pull out whatever weapons they had at hand, she had gutted one of the thugs and sliced open the throat of another.

Kuushou leaned against the wall, more than willing to give in to Anko's whims and stay out of this particular battle; it wasn't like any of them would be challenging anyway. He smirked as Anko threw the two kunai she had in her hands, one drilling through an eye and the other lodging deep in a throat. She didn't even bother to pull out another kunai, instead going in with bare fists against their swords and knives. She wasn't even actively using her chakra to boost her speed or strength.

His eyes watched closely as she twisted and spun her way through the melee, her hands darting out suddenly and striking with speed and precision, leaving choking and gasping men in her wake. A few seconds later she spun away from her last opponent, coming to a stop before him and taking an elaborate bow.

"Thank you, thank you," she said, continuing to bow before some imaginary audience. "If you stick around, we'll be putting on an encore very soon," she added in an amused tone.

"You missed one," Kuushou pointed out.

Anko's hand blurred as she threw a kunai over her shoulder, the projectile striking home with a dull thud. "No I didn't," she retorted as the thug who had been pinned to the bar slid downwards, his body coming to a rest on the floor while his arm remained elevated.

Kuushou chuckled, prompting Anko to smirk triumphantly, but they were interrupted by the sound of someone retching in the corner of the bar. They turned their gazes in that direction only to find the few legitimate patrons staring at them in horror, while one of them continued to empty his meal onto the floor.

One of them stood up, his gaze shifting from them to the dead bodies Anko had left in her wake and back. "What have you _done_?" he yelled, his voice hoarse with fear. "When Gato hears about this, he's going to send even more of his men, and they'll just kill all of us in retaliation!"

"You're half right," Anko agreed as she moved to the bar, picking up the kunai she had used on the way. She jerked the last one out of the wood and the thug's hand and, picking up a dirty rag from behind the bar, began to methodically wipe the blood off of her kunai. "He will send more of his men, no question. In fact, if you want to get off your asses and actually do something to help yourselves for a change, you'll head out to the other towns and villages and tell everyone you know that someone who is willing to stand up to Gato just showed up in your town and butchered some of his men."

The man paled, staring at her with wide eyes. "You're insane," he whispered.

"You're half right," Anko agreed again, smirking.

* * *

><p>Kuushou watched as Anko strode through the town, her eyes darting back and forth as she memorized the layout and analyzed the terrain for any potential advantages. While her mind worked, she was also keeping up a running commentary, supposedly for his benefit.<p>

"I guess I can add 'depopulated a village' to my list of accomplishments," she noted wryly. "Although it wasn't quite like I had imagined. There _was_ a lot of terror and chaotic running about, just... not so much death and destruction. Takes a lot of the fun out of it."

"Yes, not the way I would have gone about it either," Kuushou agreed, letting his own amusement bleed through into his voice.

"Oooh," she said, stopping suddenly, "when they come back, does that mean I technically _re_populated one as well? Although, that wasn't actually on my to-do list...," she added, frowning. "Eh, I'll take it."

"Anyway," she said, focusing back on the task at hand, "I expect we'll get about two or three groups like that one in the next wave, and they'll be sober and looking for a fight this time. They'll probably arrive together along one of the main roads, making a big show about putting down the upstarts and so on. I figure we'll draw them into the middle of the town, then kill the lot of them."

"And then?"

"Then we start planning for a ninja to show up. That's where you come in. I want you to start whipping up some exploding tags with proximity seals, as well as a few chakra flares. We'll give our missing-nin friends a welcome they'll never forget."

* * *

><p>"Come out, you fucking cowards!" one of the hired thugs yelled as a large group of them swept into town. All of them had their weapons out and eager expressions on their faces.<p>

"I think they all ran away once they heard we were coming!" another boasted.

"Sounds like we get to loot the place then! The boss did say we could do whatever we wanted!"

"I don't like this, guys," one of them said, looking around nervously.

"Then leave, ya chickenshit. More loot for the rest of us."

Kuushou glanced over at Anko from his position on the rooftop. She shook her head slightly, motioning for him to wait.

The group continued to move through the town, staying clumped together even as they called out threats and taunts and bragged about the valuables they were going to take from the small village.

Once they had moved to where Anko wanted them, she grinned. "Remember; weapons only," she said, then leapt forward off the edge of the roof.

The greater number of opponents, despite supposedly coming prepared and expecting a fight, fared no better against their onslaught than their allies in the bar had. Less than a minute all of them had been dealt with... except one. Kuushou pretended not to notice the terrified man as he tried to slip away without drawing their attention, and Anko did the same.

"So now we're waiting for Zabuza and his accomplice to show up?" Kuushou asked as he cleaned and stored away his own weapons.

"Hmm... nope," Anko replied.

Kuushou's eyes narrowed. "I believe your plan was to force Gato to send out the so-called big boys, was it not?"

"Oh, Gato is going to send them out, sure; we've just carved through nearly forty of his men and he can't afford to just let that go. But this whole setup just screams trap to a ninja, so there's no way in hell any ninja worth shit is going to show up here.

"No, we're going to follow our cowardly friend and see where he goes. And, on the off chance one of Gato's ninja really does show up here, we've left some presents for them, haven't we?"

* * *

><p>A few hours later, Anko was frowning as she stared down at the hive of activity that was Gato's massive mansion. Their new "friend" had made a beeline for this place, and charged in screaming his head off about crazy ninja killing everyone. Gato himself had come out, smacking the man about with his cane – a humorous sight, given that the man was taller than Gato even when on his knees – and started making a grandiose threats about showing everyone what happened when they messed with him. He was promising huge bonuses for whoever killed the people responsible and everything else they had expected, except for one thing.<p>

Neither Zabuza nor his mysterious accomplice were anywhere to be found.

Kuushou could have told her that no chakra signatures were anywhere near Gato's mansion, but even he was surprised to hear Gato ranting about how the ninja he hired had disappeared without finishing the job; it seemed that they hadn't even contacted him indirectly.

They waited until they confirmed that Gato was going to wait until morning and more men before he made his move, then pulled out.

* * *

><p>They returned to Tazuna's house and met with Gai and his team late that evening. They all gathered in the living room, the genin looking worn out but considerably happier than they had been while Gai sat in one of the chairs, his hands clasped under his chin and his gaze solemn.<p>

"We've got a problem, Gai," Anko began without preamble. "We provoked Gato into sending out Zabuza and his partner by taking out some of Gato's hired thugs, only to find out that Gato hasn't had contact with either of them since your fight with them."

"I see," Gai responded thoughtfully while his team glanced at one another. "It seems unlikely that they would simply abandon the job, especially since I was seriously wounded in our previous encounter and was, at the time, the only ninja capable of taking on Zabuza directly."

"Yeah," Anko nodded. "I think they're still around too. Either you did a lot more damage than you thought," she said, her tone making it clear that she doubted Gai would misjudge the effect of his own technique, "or they're cooking something up." She continued pacing around for a while, then asked, "How long until the old guy finishes the bridge?"

"Tazuna-san believes that the bridge is still several weeks from completion at its current rate. That rate may slow even further, as some of his workers have quit and others appear to be considering doing so as well."

Kuushou noted that Anko looked disgusted, but refrained from commenting.

"Since he no longer has ninja at his command, what was Gato's response?"

"Oh," Anko said airily, "he's gathering up all of his thugs for one big showdown. Based on what we saw earlier he'll be showing up at the trap around noon."

A startled gasp from the kitchen revealed that Tsunami and her family had been listening in on the conversation, not that they had taken any real precautions to keep her from doing so.

"I told you!" Inari yelled, pointing at the ninja accusingly. "I told you he'd kill you all!" he continued, then turned and ran upstairs before his mother could stop him.

Tsunami had other things on her mind, however. "Do we need to flee?" she asked nervously, her hands clutching at her apron. "We need to warn everyone, and-"

"Relax," Anko interrupted, looking annoyed. "Did you not hear me say 'trap'? Those guys are as good as dead already, and Blondie and I will be making sure none of them get away."

"But, there must be dozens of them," Tsunami pointed out.

"Probably well over a hundred by the time the rest of them show up," Anko corrected, grinning. "But we're talking about your average two-bit thug here. Blondie over here could take care of that many without even slowing down."

Tsunami turned to look at him, her eyes wide. Kuushou just shrugged.

"What of the civilians?" Gai asked pointedly.

"They've already evacuated," Anko said. "They all cleared out as soon as we took down the first group of Gato's men."

"Very well," Gai said after a moment. "I will leave that matter in your hands. That still leaves the issue of Zabuza and his accomplice. It is probable that they are aware of the situation by now and are prepared to take advantage of it."

"The information the Bingo Book has on Zabuza says that he's a skilled assassin, but that he always gets up close and personal to do his dirty work. That seems to be confirmed by his attack a few days ago."

"I agree," Gai said, "but we know nothing of his accomplice beyond the use of a single ice-based technique. The speed and skill of the attack suggests either a high level of experience or a bloodline. The Yuki clan has long been associated with Kiri, so we may be looking at a survivor of their Purges; the timing of Zabuza's defection would also fit with that."

"Makes sense," Anko replied, "but doesn't help us much in predicting what they'll do."

They went back and forth for nearly twenty minutes, proposing various avenues of attack and ways to counter or negate them. In deference to Tsunami and Tazuna, Gai began to couch their suggestions in highly technical terms and ninja slang to avoid disturbing them with the frank discussion. They quickly lost the genin as the younger ninja had yet to encounter the terms, and even Kuushou wasn't sure about some of the slang. "Family dinner" probably referred to using Tsunami as a vector to poison Tazuna, but what was a "red egg" and why did Gai look so angry at the suggestion?

"Have you considered that Zabuza may be using Gato as a cat's paw?" Gai asked after they had run out of ways to threaten Tazuna's life.

Anko shrugged. "Doesn't fit the profile we have, but he could be. We'll be ready for it in any case."

Gai frowned slightly. "I do not mean to dismiss your youthful skill," Gai began, "but I had a solid physical advantage over Zabuza and still found myself pressed on occasion. He is every bit as skilled with his blade as I would expect of a former member of the Seven Swordsmen. Are you certain that you can take him one-on-one?"

Anko smirked. "I don't plan to make it a fight at all," she said. "My orders were to kill him, plain and simple. I don't have to face off against him for that."

His frown grew. "And if you find yourself fighting him after all?"

She shrugged. "I'll have to make the call. We've got some emergency measures in place to help us get away, or I may have Blondie work his magic."

He was frowning deeply now, openly concerned. "You would have a chuunin battle a ninja of Zabuza's caliber? I am thoroughly impressed by his most youthful skill as a medic-nin, but surely his combat skill is-"

"Triple-B," Anko interrupted, "at least. No offense to your team, Gai, but from everything I've heard you would have won if they hadn't been there, even if you were fighting both Zabuza and his accomplice."

"... I likely would have," Gai admitted after a few seconds. "I do not for a moment regret my decision to protect them, however. It is my honor to preserve their Flames of Youth until they have grown into the bonfires I know they will be." His voice was filled with absolute conviction as he met Anko's gaze.

A loud sniffle drew their attention to the couch, where Lee was wiping his arm across his face. "Gai-sensei!" he called out suddenly, jumping to his feet and revealing the tears streaming from his eyes. "Yosh! I will train twice as hard to meet your expectations! And if I can't do that, I will-"

"Lee!" Tenten hissed, grabbing his shirt and pulling him back down. Her eyes were a little watery as well, and even Neji seemed to be swallowing thickly as he stared at Gai.

Kuushou noted that Anko looked a little pained as she watched the display, but the expression was gone quickly and she cleared her throat to regain the room's attention.

"The point is, I trust Blondie to hold his own well enough that he could help out, whether that be helping us getting away or helping me take out Zabuza and his accomplice. I know that you're stronger than I am in a straight fight, but I also won't be dealing with the same problems you had."

Gai still looked uncertain, but he didn't press the issue.

* * *

><p>"Uzumaki-san," Kuushou heard Tenten call out as he made his way down the stairs the next morning. He turned to see her coming out of the bathroom fully dressed, her hair still slightly damp from her recent shower.<p>

"Yes, Higurashi-san?" he asked as he paused.

"I remember you from the Academy, you know," she said. "I mean, I didn't at first. You've changed... _a lot _since then. You were the orange-wearing kid a year behind me who was always getting into trouble."

"Was I?" he responded curiously. "In any event, as you say, I have changed."

"That's the thing, though... you're good at seals, good enough that Dad's willing to sell your stuff in the store, you know enough medical jutsu to heal Gai-sensei, and now you have a Triple-B combat ranking... How? Not even Neji or Lee are that good yet."

"I'm surprised you haven't heard yet, actually."

Tenten frowned uncertainly. "Heard what?"

"About the look-alike who was pulled from a different world against his will. The one who was promoted to chuunin and has been training some of the most recent graduates."

Her eyes widened slightly. "I'd heard bits and pieces, but I thought...," she shook her head, cutting off whatever she had been about to say. "That still doesn't explain it though."

Kuushou shrugged. "I've been very focused on my sealing studies. As for the combat rating and medical jutsu, I have some unique advantages that I have learned to make use of."

"What, like a bloodline?"

"I wasn't born with this advantage, but I... _acquired _it shortly thereafter." He let out a bitter laugh, his expression turning rueful. "I never wanted to be like this, and wouldn't have done it if I'd had a choice, but then I couldn't have saved your teacher's life without being... what I am."

Tenten looked confused. "What does that mean?"

He shrugged, turning and continuing down the stairs. "Who knows?"

* * *

><p>"Uzumaki-san," Kuushou heard again. He turned to look at Neji, who had followed him outside after breakfast.<p>

"Yes, Hyuuga-san?"

"I wished to express my gratitude for saving Gai-sensei's life. I had feared it was his fate to die on this mission, and ourselves with him."

"You are welcome, of course. I'm happy that I was able to heal him. Don't discount your own efforts, either. If your team hadn't managed to stabilize him as well as you did, I might not have been able to do anything."

"Nonetheless, we are in your debt."

Kuushou's eyebrow rose. He'd spent enough time around Hinata to know that all Hyuuga were brought up in a very traditional manner and that formal declarations of that sort were not made lightly. Neji's words hardly bound the Hyuuga clan – he had neither the standing nor authority for that – but it would influence the genin himself greatly.

And if the reserved Hyuuga was willing to go that far, it was almost certain that his teammates felt the same way.

"Very well. Was there anything else?"

Neji straightened, his eyes searching. "I overheard your conversation with Tenten earlier, and I wished to ask you... does this mysterious ability have anything to do with the unusual nature of your chakra?"

"I can't say."

Neji frowned slightly. "I am referring to the color of your chakra and the way it seems to... surround you without being expended. Surely there is-"

"I _can't say_," Kuushou repeated, stressing the words.

Understanding dawned. "I see."

* * *

><p>Later that day, Kuushou and Anko caught up with Gato and his horde of mercenaries roughly three kilometers outside of the town. Thick, dark clouds hung overhead, making it seem as if it were more towards evening when it was actually nearly noon. While a storm was clearly brewing, no rain had begun to fall yet.<p>

There was still no sign of either Zabuza or his partner.

Anko was flipping a kunai through the air as she thought. A flick of her wrist would send the blade spinning upwards lazily, making precisely four complete rotations before she caught it once again.

Flick, spin, catch.

Flick, spin, catch.

"They sure are taking their time," she muttered. "I'm going to die of boredom before they even make it to the village."

Flick, spin, catch.

"We could just take them out now," Kuushou suggested.

Anko paused, holding the handle between her thumb and forefinger as she eyed him consideringly. After a moment, she shook her head.

Flick, spin, catch.

"Nah, better to wait until they enter the trap. Much more likely to get them all at once that way. I don't want to waste my time chasing the idiots down one by one if they all decide to run."

Flick, spin, catch.

Kuushou shrugged, and turned his attention back to the stream of mercenaries marching towards their doom.

Flick, spin, catch.

* * *

><p>"Oh <em>hell <em>no," Anko snarled, glaring at him. "_I _will be doing the honors, Blondie. This assignment has been shitty enough as is, no way am I letting you take the best part."

"I _am _the one who did most of the seal work."

"And I directed you on where to put everything."

"You've gotten more kills than I have."

"So I've earned the privilege."

"That means you've already had your fun."

"That wasn't fun, that was a chore. _This _is fun."

Kuushou shook his head in mock disgust, but stepped back. "Fine. I get the ones outside the village, then."

"Except Gato."

"_Including _Gato."

"... fine, and Gato."

"So generous."

"I can still change my mind."

"Far be it for me to question your infinite wisdom. … what are you waiting for?"

"I'm savoring the moment. It's not often I get to do this, you know."

"You're going to miss your chance."

"You can't rush these things."

"... they're already starting to trickle back out."

"Aaaaaand... now."

With that, Anko pumped her chakra into the tag in her hand, triggering the traps linked to it while Kuushou darted away, heading for the small gathering of people outside the village proper.

Kuushou had to admit that she had timed it well – the men Gato had brought with him were spread throughout the village, true, but most of them were actually back out in the streets where the majority of the traps were located, rather than inside the buildings.

Anko had made the call to avoid "excessively" damaging the village unless necessary, though he had no doubt that her definition of the word was far more lenient than the Hokage's. He doubted there were any windows left intact in any of the buildings, but other than some minor scorching the structures should still be sound and liveable.

The first set of explosions occurred in a ring around the village, separating those who had been looting the buildings from the group Gato had kept around himself – an unintended but convenient bonus. Several mercenaries were caught in the blasts, their screams and death cries serving to sow further fear in their fellows.

A few seconds later, as the survivors retreated into the village and its cover, the tags buried under the streets triggered. From what he had seen before the clouds of smoke obscured his view, the vast majority of the men Gato had brought had been caught in the second round of blasts, caught completely unaware as their focus remained outside the village, searching for whatever group was now attacking them.

Kuushou could make out Anko cackling madly behind him as she moved into the village to take care of the survivors, but most of his attention was focused on his targets. Most were staring at the carnage, shock clear on their faces, but two of them, the only two that had enough chakra for him to even sense, were grasping their blades warily as they looked around. Gato himself was already starting to back away, his skin pale with fear as he found himself suddenly exposed.

He leapt high into the air, his form arcing over their heads. Gato must have seen something, because his head rose and his eyes widened as he caught sight of Kuushou's falling form. A feral grin spread on Kuushou's face as Gato eyes locked onto his own.

Anko clearly preferred to play with her victims, enjoying their growing fear as each was cut down in turn. He could appreciate the sentiment, but such effort was better reserved for use against opponents who were actually worthy of the name. Against common humans such as these, he much preferred efficiency.

Gato's hand began rising into the air, visibly shaking. "Ki-" Gato started to say, but he was cut short as Kuushou landed in the middle of the group. As his feet touched the ground and his legs began bending to absorb the impact, earthen spikes began rising out of the ground in a circle around him. By the time his hand touched the ground and his momentum had played out, the spikes were nearly one and a half meters high and completely obscured his form.

With a slight push of his legs, he rose, the spikes retreating back into the ground as he did so. They had completely disappeared by the time his legs straightened, allowing the men they had impaled to collapse back to the ground. He scanned them with a critical eye, noting that all of their heads were still intact, even Gato's. No need to waste any potential bounties, after all.

He turned and looked for any other mercenaries that were still standing, noting three that had frozen roughly a dozen meters away. All of them were staring at him in shock and horror, and didn't even have a chance to recover before he was upon them.

* * *

><p>"Even if Zabuza never showed, that wasn't <em>too <em>boring, I suppose," Anko commented as they made their way back to Tazuna's house.

Kuushou shrugged.

"I do hope we get a chance for a _real _fight before we head back, though. I haven't even _seen _a missing-nin yet."

Kuushou nodded absently as Tazuna's house finally came into view. He caught a flicker of movement near the window before the front door opened and Tenten walked out.

"Welcome back, Mitarashi-jounin," she said, smiling. "Is everything finished on your end?"

"Yeah, yeah, it's done," Anko said dismissively. "Anything happen here?"

"No, ma'am," Tenten replied, her tone becoming slightly more formal. "There has been no activity."

Anko nodded. "Righteo. Guess we'll-"

Her words were interrupted as a distant shrieking whistle rose up and a chakra pulse pinged against their senses.

Tenten paled and opened her mouth to speak, but Anko cut her off. "Keep the family inside and make sure your traps are activated," she snapped.

The girl didn't even have the chance to argue before Anko disappeared in a shunshin, Kuushou following close behind.

* * *

><p>When they arrived, both of them paused for a moment to take in what they were seeing. Somehow a long section of the bridge had completely collapsed, the surface almost entire submerged while jagged steel beams rose out of the water. Further out into the water, cut off from any easy access and barely visible through the thick mist, the most recently built piece still stood tall. The storm clouds were even thicker this far out to sea, and lightning was flashing in the distance. A few drops of rain served as warning that the storm would be breaking soon.<p>

Even as they made their way closer to the bridge and the battle that Kuushou could feel raging upon it, a construct made of ice emerged from the sea and slammed into one of the bridge's supports. They could see now that it must have been attacking like that for some time, as five more supports along that side of the bridge had been broken as well. This last attack pushed the last section of the bridge beyond endurance, and the entire thing groaned ominously, the surface tilting towards the water as the sound of snapping cables and twisting metal filled the air.

Kuushou leapt from support to support, using the shattered remains of the bridge as stepping stones to rapidly close the distance. He could feel five signatures currently locked in combat, but the mist was laced with chakra and made identifying their exact positions of each difficult.

When he reached the top of the bridge, he found that the surface was slick and would have been nearly impossible to stand on without using his chakra to aid his grip. He could see equipment and stacks of building materials sliding towards the edge and off into the water, and even as he began to move towards the nearest signature, Neji's, the bridge shuddered beneath his feet and the incline steepened sharply.

The Hyuuga had his eyes activated and was currently straining as he attempted to make his vision pierce through the mist. He had a kunai clutched in each hand and several senbon sticking out of his body, though none had struck him in a truly vital area. Tazuna was cowering behind him, his arms and legs wrapped around a post as he struggled to remain on the bridge; the old man also had a couple of senbon sticking out of him as well.

Neji whipped around to face him, a grimace crossing his face as one of the senbon twisted sharply with the movement, then relaxed. "Naruto," he said, relief clear in his voice. He shook himself and began speaking quickly. "Zabuza's accomplice has been sniping at me while also taking out the supports on the bridge. Lee has been attempting to combat her, but is severely hampered by the location and some jutsu the enemy has used upon the water. Even I had trouble walking upon it, and Lee is unable to adjust nearly as well... unfortunately, my byakugan is all that has allowed us to keep Tazuna safe, so I am needed here."

Kuushou nodded, considering the situation for a moment. His mission was technically to take out any missing-nin in the area, but they were also supposed to support Gai and his team, and leaving a genin in such a situation probably wouldn't be the _proper _thing to do. Then again, they _were _targeting Tazuna, and would likely focus on him if the old man was in danger of getting away...

"Take Tazuna and make for the shore. I'll cover you."

Neji nodded, putting away his kunai as he moved over and hoisted Tazuna onto his shoulder. The old man grunted in pain but made no other protest at the treatment; if anything, he looked relieved at the thought that he would be away from all of this soon.

The Hyuuga moved to the edge of the bridge then tipped over it, his feet making contact with the metal supports as he ran down the side. Tazuna let out a muffled shout at the sudden change in orientation, and one of the signatures Kuushou didn't recognize abruptly shifted direction, heading towards Neji.

Kuushou grinned, trailing behind Neji as he waited for the pursuing ninja to make their move. The first attack came as a hail of senbon needles formed of ice; easily taken care of with a wind jutsu.

The second attack came as Neji made the leap to one of the supports that was jutting out of the water. This time it was a small hail of ice senbon mixed with large spikes of ice. Once again the wind jutsu sufficed, though he had to push more power into it.

The signature – which must have been Zabuza's accomplice, given the ice techniques, Kuushou concluded – seemed to hesitate, possibly surprised that the large projectiles could be countered in such a manner. Then the signature moved with impressive speed, darting ahead of Neji and Tazuna and flaring as the ninja began using a more powerful technique. Unfortunately for her, this also meant that she moved to an area where the mist was much thinner, allowing Kuushou to determine her precise location. With a burst of speed, he made his move.

Another ice construct was forming in front of the ninja when he appeared, his arm already raised and thrusting forward. Even caught by surprise, the ninja reacted swiftly, one hand deflecting his attack while the other continued to form handsigns. Kuushou took in her appearance as he attacked, noting that she was dressed in a dark blue robe that blended almost seamlessly with the choppy water and wore a white mask with the markings of a Kiri-nin upon it. She had no visible weapons and the only exposed skin was her hands; even her ears were covered by long black hair.

Kuushou continued to strike at the ninja, absently noting that, as Neji had indicated, water-walking actually was considerably more difficult than it should have been. A foreign chakra was laced into the water and was actively disrupting his own chakra – or at least trying to. It would take far more than this to seriously hinder him, but it was an... interesting technique.

Tiring of the ninja countering all of his attacks, he swiped his hand and sent a stream of wind towards the ninja, launching his opponent backwards and finally disrupting the ice construct. As the construct collapsed, Neji moved out of the mist completely and picked up speed, carrying Tazuna away from the battlefield and towards safety. The ninja looked as if they would pursue for a moment, then stopped and turned to face Kuushou.

No words were uttered, but her stance spoke of anger and frustration. The masked ninja's hand formed a single handseal, and ice senbon began lancing towards Kuushou from all directions. Rather than following up on the attack as he expected, however, the ninja disappeared, her signature revealing that she was heading back towards the standing section of the bridge. The ninja was also sending out chakra pulses in what Kuushou assumed was a prearranged signal.

The ninja also did something odd under the surface of the water. Kuushou couldn't make out if she had used any handsigns or not, but she left behind a large amount of chakra – nearly a quarter of what she had remaining – arranged in a rectangular, nearly flat sheet. He couldn't discern what the purpose was, but made sure to note its location as he continued his pursuit.

His pursuit brought him back to the surface of the barely-standing section of the bridge, where he found a tense standoff. Zabuza was backed against the edge of the bridge, his large sword held defensively in front of him. His partner was standing by his side, hands held in a seal. Gai stood about five meters away, a large pair of nunchaku held in his hands. Anko was roughly the same distance away to Zabuza's left, three snakes coiling near her feet and hissing dangerously. Lee stood at the opposite end of the bridge well away from the fighting, his eyes sharp as he observed the older ninja.

Kuushou came to a stop near Anko, crouching on the railing. He twitched as he felt another sheet of chakra forming off the side of the bridge, out of sight. Clearly they were meant to do something or the ninja wouldn't be wasting time creating them, but what?

"You Konoha-nin are like cockroaches," Zabuza growled through the bandages wrapped around the bottom of his face. "You should have just stayed out of my way."

"We are not so unyouthful as to allow you to murder an innocent man!" Gai declared.

"Talk to somebody who gives a shit," Zabuza retorted. His head slowly panned around, his eyes studying each and every face on the bridge before coming back to rest on Gai's. "Next time I see any of you... you _won't_ see me."

With that threat lingering in the air, he and his partner both stepped backwards, dropping off the bridge. They crossed through the sheet of chakra a few moments later... and disappeared.

Kuushou's eyes widened in surprise before he caught their signatures reappearing back where the fake hunter-nin had placed the first sheet. The two of them immediately began moving across the water towards the mainland, though not in the direction Neji had gone.

Gai and Anko moved forward, ready to fend off any attacks as they tried to track Zabuza's movements. Kuushou was at their side a moment later, looking over the edge to find shards of ice tumbling through the air and vanishing into the mist below. That mist was already thinning, sped along by the stormwinds that were beginning to pick up.

Gai stared down at the sea for a few moments before turning away. He scanned the bridge quickly, spotting Lee, who was moving to join them.

"Where are Neji and Tazuna?" he asked tensely.

"Already at the shore; they should be heading back to Tazuna's house."

"Then we shall do the same. Zabuza may be seeking to strike while we are occupied here." His voice brooked no argument, and they all disappeared a moment later.

* * *

><p>They gathered in the living room, Tazuna's daughter clinging to her father in relief while the old man stared into the fireplace, his expression almost devoid of emotion.<p>

"It's over," he said quietly. "With the bridge damaged to that extent, it'll be months before we can get caught up, and with the threat of another attack like that hanging over us, I doubt any workers will show up from now on."

"Father," Tsunami said softly. "Don't give up hope. The bridge can be repaired, and the workers will come back. You'll see."

Tazuna just grunted softly, staring into the fire.

"So what happened out there?" Anko asked Gai.

"It seems that Zabuza and his accomplice were sabotaging the bridge in preparation for their attack. They weakened the structure without leaving any obvious signs, though they avoided the newer section, I believe because Tazuna and his workers would have spotted tampering that close. Then this morning they launched a series of water and ice jutsu that took out the remaining supports, collapsing the sections closer to land and effectively isolating us out in the sea.

"Zabuza used the terrain and his mist to good effect, preventing me from engaging him as I did before, while his accomplice took on both Neji and Lee while also threatening Tazuna. If you had not arrived when you did, I would have been forced to use some of my more dangerous techniques. With their ability to retreat underwater to avoid the worst of my strikes, even that may not have sufficed. Zabuza's accomplice and the ice bloodline she employed proved to be particularly devastating in that situation."

"Why are you still here? Just go away, before Gato kills all of us to get at you!" Inari screamed suddenly.

Anko and Kuushou shared a glance before bursting out laughing. Tenten, who had rounded on the little boy angrily, and Tsunami, who looked like she was about to deliver a particularly harsh rebuke, turned to look at them in confusion.

"That would be an impressive trick, brat," Anko said mockingly, "seeing as how Gato's dead."

Tazuna's head jerked upwards as he stared at her. "What?"

"Yep. The idiot showed up to our little trap in person, along with...," Anko paused, turning to Kuushou and asking, "what was the final count?"

"One hundred seventeen mercenaries," Kuushou replied easily.

"Right, along with all those mercenaries. Needless to say, he didn't make it out."

"You're lying!" Inari burst out, tears welling in his eyes. "No one could kill Gato!" With that, he turned and ran upstairs again.

Anko watched him go then turned to look at Tsunami. Tazuna's daughter was, for once, focused more on the ninja than her son as she stared at them.

"He's really dead?" she breathed, desperate hope shining in her face.

"Unless he's found a way to survive having his head cut off, I'd say so," Anko nodded.

Tsunami surged forward, wrapping Anko in a hug as she began sobbing. "Thank you, thank you."

Anko's hands twitched and she had a disgruntled look on her face, but she managed to control her reaction as she slowly peeled the weeping woman off of her. "You're welcome," she muttered. Then she grinned. "Although it was Blondie over there who actually did the deed," she added, lightly pushing Tsunami in his direction.

Kuushou's eyes narrowed as he glared at Anko, then his vision was cut off as he found himself swept up in Tsunami's grateful embrace.

* * *

><p>Anko accepted the message from her snake and unrolled it, her eyes scanning rapidly as she parsed through the code. "Oh, thank <em>Kami<em>," she moaned, sagging in relief. "Start packing Blondie, we're finally out of here."

It had been two weeks since the last battle with Zabuza at the bridge, and there had been no sign of the missing-nin or his partner in all of that time. Both Anko and Gai had eventually concluded that he had left Wave upon discovering the death of his employer; he might want revenge against the Konoha-nin for interfering with his job, but money and supplies came first. His Bingo Book entry would be updated with the latest info and a warning issued that he may be looking to take revenge on Konoha in some fashion, but for now they were done with him.

It had also been two weeks where Anko had nothing interesting to do or look forward to. She'd been growing more and more agitated and aggressive over that time, and he honestly thought she was going to kill someone when she found out that no one within fifty kilometers of Tazuna's home sold dango of any description. Only Tsunami's intervention and cooking skills had prevented bloodshed.

"Are you leaving already?" Tsunami asked from the kitchen.

"Just got our new orders. My team has been recalled since our mission seems to be done, and Gai's team will be getting replaced in two days."

"I see," Tsunami said, looking a little sad. "At least let me make you some dango before you leave."

Anko paused in the act of replying, then nodded. "We can stick around that long," she allowed.

Kuushou snorted in amusement. He doubted Anko considered the woman a friend, but after Gato's death they had settled into an oddly companionable relationship. He'd even caught Anko demonstrating how to use the knives Tsunami had in her kitchen as deadly weapons, the civilian paying rapt attention to Anko's words and movements.

Tazuna had bounced back from his depression with the news of Gato's demise, and the rest of Wave seemed to be following him... both literally and figuratively. The man had put life and limb on the line for his country, and news that he was ultimately, if indirectly, responsible for breaking Gato's hold on Wave was spreading quickly. Workers were arriving in droves to help complete the bridge, and already new merchants were arriving, all of them competing to establish a foothold in the recovering nation. Even Inari had become less annoying, though the child seemed more confused and uncertain than relieved. He had at least stopped provoking the ninja, which had done wonders for his life expectancy.

For his part, Kuushou was just glad that this mission was finally over. It had started out well, but once Gato died everything settled down and he found himself impatiently waiting for a chance to resume his seal work or his study of the Forbidden Scroll in the privacy of his apartment. Even training the genin was more interesting than this.

Even the time he spent with Gai's genin was largely unproductive. They were still expected to remain battle ready and so couldn't engage in any strenuous training – though their "light" training would have run any of the more recent graduates into the ground. Anko also kept him scouring the countryside in the vain hope that they would find missing-nin or bandits to fight, so opportunities for conversation were also limited.

* * *

><p>"I would like to congratulate you both on a successful mission," the Hokage said, smiling. They had reached Konoha early the next morning and had just finished delivering their final report to the Hokage.<p>

"Thank you, Hokage-sama," they both replied.

"I will be awarding additional pay in light of the extended time frame of the mission and the better than expected results, and will be making a note in both of your files as well. Now then, strictly speaking this next matter is for Anko only, but as it is not classified or sensitive information I have no problem with Naruto remaining. I suspect that it will save all of us some time if he remains," he added, smirking.

Anko eyed the Hokage curiously before shrugging.

"As I'm sure you are aware, Konoha is hosting the Chuunin Exams this year and they are now less than two months away. Ibiki has already agreed to oversee the first phase of the exam, and your name was on the short list of candidates to oversee the second phase. Given Ibiki's recommendation and your impressive work recently, I have decided to give you the first chance to accept the position."

Anko's eyes gleamed and a grin spread over her face. "You're giving me the Battle Royale phase?"

The Hokage nodded. "You will have two weeks to present your plans for the exam. You will be provided with the full rules and regulations, and may request up to four tokubetsu jounin or chuunin to assist you in the preparations. You will of course be provided as many ninja as your plan calls for during the exam itself, should it be approved.

"I accept," Anko said quickly. "And I request Blondie here as one of my assistants."

The Hokage smirked. "I thought you might." He turned to Kuushou. "You are not required to accept, but missions like this don't come around often and look very good on your record. It's also listed as a B-rank, despite the fact that it doesn't require you to leave the village."

"What exactly does the 'Battle Royale phase' consist of?"

The Hokage blinked for a moment, then let out a barking laugh. "Ha. I forget that you never actually participated in the Exams yourself. As the name implies, all of the contestants are pitted against one another in combat, drastically reducing their numbers until only a handful of teams remain to advance to the third phase. Unlike the first phase, deaths can and will happen."

Kuushou thought that over for a moment. They were asking him to help plan an event where genin would be pitted against one another in deadly combat, and not only was it considered something of an honor to assist, they were going to _pay _him to do it. The sheer irony of it all almost had him howling in laughter.

"I'll do it," he answered, fighting to keep his grin from growing too large.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Yosh! Another fic where I made it past the Wave Arc!**

**Hopefully I managed to keep things fresh and interesting. I had initially planned to have Zabuza and Haku ambush Anko and Kuushou while they were fighting Gato's thugs, but scrapped it because a) Kuushou would sense them coming and thus eliminate a lot of the danger and b) Zabuza has no reason to care about those two. Even in canon he's actually quite focused on taking out Tazuna directly – it's only after he's stopped that he focuses on fighting the ninja protecting Tazuna. **

**Gai also made sure to leave someone (who was awake) behind to guard Tsunami... which of course means that no one actually tried to go after her. Such is Irony.**

"**Naruto" played a much smaller role from the perspective of the people of Wave, despite the fact that he's the one who actually killed Gato, so no bridge for him. I'm actually thinking of having them name it the Phoenix Bridge, to symbolize both the fact that they had to rebuild it and what it meant to Wave as a whole.**

**In canon, I think that Gato didn't just have someone sabotage the bridge because he wanted to take it over for himself. There's plenty of circumstantial evidence to support that, and he likely would have made not damaging the bridge a condition of Zabuza's contract once Tazuna actually made it back to Wave. Too bad Zabuza didn't check in with him this time...**

**I'm not _entirely _certain that Haku can use her mirrors like that in canon (and yes, she's a girl, because because), but it's close enough to what has been shown in canon and makes for an interesting ability.**

**As always, thanks for reading and thanks for all the reviews!**


	9. Who Do You Trust?

"Oh, oh, how about we plant a couple of fake teams and-"

"Can't. Violates the non-interference clause."

"Tch. What if we threw in some fake objectives and-"

"Can't. All teams must start under effectively the same conditions."

Anko growled in annoyance as he shot down another idea. "Then we could poison them at the start of the exam and-"

"Did you even _read _the rules for this?"

Anko didn't reply immediately, instead looking off to the side as she avoided his gaze. "... Maybe?"

Kuushou fixed her with a glare, which just caused Anko to start cackling to herself.

"Ah, relax Blondie, I'm just screwing with you. Although some of those ideas would have been fun," she finished ruefully.

"What _do _you have then?" he asked pointedly. Anko had given him a day to familiarize himself with the rules and regulations regarding the International Chuunin Exams, then pulled him into a meeting at a "highly secure location" – her favorite dango stand, which probably was a more secure place than most since she'd kill anyone who damaged it – to discuss their plans. Supposedly she had other people drafted to help her, but he was the only one who was here at the moment.

"Well, I want it to happen in the Forest of Death," she said. "That's pretty much set. I have to put the teams in direct conflict with one another, so I was thinking giving each team one of a pair of scrolls. That would ensure the numbers are cut in half at a minimum, and probably a lot more than that."

"Alright. What else?"

"Well... that's it, really," Anko shrugged. "Covers all my bases, and the rest is just the genin trying to survive the forest and each other."

Kuushou nodded slowly. That plan did meet the requirements based on what he had read, but it was a little boring for his tastes. After spending the last few months torturing his students into something resembling competence, he also wanted to give them a real challenge.

"That sounds a little too simple. Couldn't someone just steal the scroll from another team? There wouldn't be any real conflict there, just stealth."

Anko hummed thoughtfully as she devoured another stick of dango. "Maybe. Any team who can't hide their scroll properly deserves to fail, though. Stealth is just as vital out on a real mission as combat skills, after all. You got something in mind?"

He didn't, not yet. He just knew that he wasn't going to let this opportunity to be _paid _to put ninja – Konoha or otherwise – into potentially lethal situations pass so easily. The opportunity for bloodshed and mayhem was- ah, there was an idea.

"Actually, yes. What is we added a little twist to the scroll idea? We could place them in containers that are keyed to the blood of each of the genin on the team such that you need a bit of blood from all three in order to open them. It's still possible to use stealth to acquire that blood, but it would require a lot more ingenuity and skill than mere thievery."

Anko sat back, her eyes half-closed as she thought it through. "Also adds some interesting opportunities for deception," she mused. Then she shook her head. "Nah, it just makes stealth a lot more difficult but doesn't add a whole lot to the combat side of things. With that setup everyone would open the container on the spot to confirm that the scroll is actually there."

Kuushou shrugged. Then another idea occurred to him. "How set are you on the scrolls idea?"

"Not very. Why?"

"What if we used a set number of locations instead?"

"I'm listening."

* * *

><p>"... and the winners will be determined by which teams have control of one of the locations at the end of a four-day period."<p>

The Hokage nodded slowly, his eyes thoughtful. "What locations do you intend to use?"

"Three small caves, two hills, two bridges, and a large clearing. We've already scouted the forest and identified suitable areas."

"And if one of these locations were destroyed or damaged to the extent that no one can be said to control it?"

"Then no one can use it to pass."

"And if all of them are like that?"

Anko shrugged. "It's always been a possibility that no one makes it through."

"True," the Hokage conceded. "What are your criteria for determining control?"

"All team members must be physically present within the confines of the area and alive, and at least one member of the team must be conscious and capable of fighting. In addition, there can be no active hostile elements of any kind, human or otherwise."

"Ah, to account for animal attacks and the like, I assume."

"Yes, Hokage-sama. It also allows for the possibility of prisoners and hostages."

Kuushou's eyes narrowed as he noted the small smirk on the Hokage's face. The old man hid it quickly, but he found something amusing in what Anko had just said. Had they missed something? They had originally restricted it to just other teams until Anko pointed out the many aggressive animals that lived within the Forest. Was there some other threat they had overlooked that wasn't defined by "active hostile element?"

"In that case, I believe we have our second phase. I'll need the full details written up by tomorrow, and a complete listing of all the personnel who will be assisting you during the course of those four days by the end of the week. Other than that, I believe we're done. Congratulations, and good work, both of you."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama," Anko said, smiling and bowing. Kuushou echoed her, though he was more focused on figuring out what the Hokage had noticed. Maybe he just thought they were being over-prepared?

* * *

><p>"Hello, Hinata," Kuushou greeted as he entered the clearing.<p>

"Hello, Naruto-kun," Hinata answered clearly, a smile on her face.

Kuushou paused a moment to examine her. It had been nearly a month since they had last met and he was curious to see how she had improved in that time, both physically and mentally. Up to this point he had been meeting with her once a week for the training sessions and often had several brief meetings on top of that as they ran into each other during their duties. This would be the real test to see if the changes he had wrought had truly taken root or not.

From what he could see, they'd done far more than just take root. Her jacket was nowhere in sight, leading him to believe that she had not worn it at all – that alone would have been unthinkable to her before he had started teaching her. She was wearing a loose, blue, short-sleeved shirt and loose gray pants that ended just above her ankles. She had moved her forehead protector from around her neck and was now wearing it as a belt, along with two more tool pouches, one joining her original kunai pouch on her right leg and the other attached to her left hip.

More than just the clothing change was her demeanor. She was calm and confident, standing with a straight back and her arms resting at her sides. Despite that, though, there was something else, an undercurrent of tension. It wasn't until she began to walk forward to meet him that he saw it for what it was. She was practically stalking across the clearing, her muscles coiled and ready to burst into action at any moment. Her hands never strayed far from her pouches, and her finger brushed against the handle of a kunai that was sticking out of one as she moved.

She had been improving steadily over the months in their sessions before he left, but this was a massive leap forward.

"Something happened." It wasn't a question.

Hinata nodded, her smile twisting into something feral. "Father had me spar against my little sister while you were gone on your mission. He does that every now and then, and I always lost before. It was one of the reasons he decided to name her as the heiress."

"And?"

"This time I didn't."

"Of course you didn't," Kuushou said. There was no surprise in his tone, and he didn't sound impressed. He said it like it was a foregone conclusion. To him, after the training he had put her through, it was. "What happened after you won?"

Hinata's smile widened. "Father seemed upset that I ended it so quickly, but he _has _always told me that I should be more aggressive." Her hand seemed to caress the kunai that was sticking out of her pouch for a moment. "After I won, he just told me that we were done for the day and left."

Kuushou wondered just what the girl had done to her opponent, but shrugged it off. "Well then, I think it's time to see how well you have done while I was away. You can be-"

Hinata blurred forward, her chakra flaring as she simultaneously activated her Byakugan and reinforced her muscles. Three kunai ripped through the air, one aimed at his left eye, another along the right side of his throat, and a third at his crotch. Even as he dealt with those, he twisted his body sideways to avoid her jabbing hands. He tried to grab her wrists, but Hinata anticipated his movement and actually landed a Jyuuken strike, her fingers jabbing into the tenketsu just above his elbow and closing it.

He responded with a palm thrust to her sternum, but even as it landed he could feel her body rolling backwards with the blow, minimizing the damage. As her torso arced backwards her right foot came up, once more aimed for his groin. He blocked with a knee and pushed, their legs straining against each other a moment before his strength won out, spinning her body slightly and disrupting her balance.

He heard the soft thump of her hands hitting the ground and felt her chakra flaring again as her arms strained. Her other leg came up, knee aimed at his ribs. He took the hit and wrapped his arm around her knee, trapping the limb. A spin pulled her hands off the ground, but her leg twisted and wrapped around his back, preventing him from throwing her. He felt the limb tensing as she pulled her torso up, using his body as leverage, and could see her hands practically glowing with chakra as they struck out at his chest.

His other arm, the one that should have been hindered by her previous blow, came up and intercepted the attacks. He took another hit from her left hand, though it missed any tenketsu, and managed to grab her right wrist. A sharp jerk outwards, along with a strike from his left hand that dislodged her leg, sent her towards the ground. She couldn't get her feet under her in time and landed face-down. Two quick twists had her arms immobilized, though he had to keep adjusting to prevent her from slipping out of the hold as her arms continually twisted and pulled against him.

"-gin at any time," he finished. "You have improved, I see." He released her and backed up a few steps, allowing her to pick herself up off the ground.

"Of course," she replied as she stood up and turned to face him, "though I still can't break your holds."

Kuushou smirked for a moment. "I would be more careful about grappling with opponents, especially someone stronger than you. Still, if you had managed to bring up your other leg I would not have been able to dislodge you so easily."

Hinata nodded.

"Now then, I want to make sure you haven't lost any of your skill with the strings. Start with lifting a kunai."

Hinata's eyes narrowed in concentration as she held out her hands, fingers spread. She kept her Byakugan active as it would greatly improve her effectiveness with the technique, and one of his mandates was that she increase the length of time she could keep her eyes active as much as possible.

To his eyes, it appeared that Hinata was doing nothing even as she began to sweat lightly. To his senses though, ten threads of chakra were waving through the air, shifting back and forth in basic patterns. It wasn't much, but still a clear improvement from where she had been a month ago. One of the threads made contact with a kunai lying on the ground, lifting it and moving it through the air. Hinata let out her breath slowly, as she brought the other threads in contact with it, all of them combining into a single strand.

The kunai began to move more easily, whipping back and forth as if striking at invisible foes.

"Good. Next step," he called out. Before he'd even finished speaking the kunai was darting towards him. He sidestepped it with a grin, then moved into the trees. Hinata herself didn't move from her original spot, but the kunai pursued him doggedly as he jumped into the branches, slid around tree trunks, dove through thickets and even tossed loose branches and rocks at the kunai. Hinata guided the weapon towards him without pause, her Byakugan allowing her to continue her assault where most ninja would have been stopped cold.

He watched the kunai carefully as he varied the distance, noting that she began having serious issues maintaining control of the kunai at roughly the forty meter mark. Since she had completely lost it at the thirty meter mark only a month ago, he would count that as acceptable progress.

He burst back into the clearing, heading straight for Hinata while the kunai flew through the air behind him. He was nearly upon her when a second kunai leapt from the ground, aiming unerringly at his throat.

He caught the second one before it could strike him, then plucked the first one from the air as it closed in on his back.

"Good!" he praised, grinning widely. "Two at once, and no warning before you attacked with the second one." She matched his grin, her face slightly flushed. "Now, make one string as dense as you can."

Hinata gathered herself then let out a slow breath, her chakra flaring slightly as she began putting more and more into the technique. At first it simply appeared as if there was a faint flicker in the air, then, slowly, the whole string became visible as the chakra became denser and denser, eventually reaching the point where it was plainly visible even without the benefit of the Byakugan.

He waited a few more seconds, but the chakra string didn't change. "Better than last time," he acknowledged. Then he stepped forward and swept his hand through the string, causing it to essentially snap in half, one end whipping back towards Hinata while the other half dissolved into the air, the chakra that had made up that piece beyond recovery.

That particular reaction represented the beginning and end of the vast majority of ninja's interest in advanced techniques that relied upon raw chakra.

As any Hyuuga could attest, using raw chakra to do anything to an enemy ninja was very, very difficult. Quite a few ninja, both allied and enemy, had seen the Gentle Fist at work and correctly deduced its basic principle – pushing chakra into the enemy to cause damage. Their efforts to actually replicate that feat had met with complete and total failure, and it all came back to the fact that they were trying to use raw chakra to do it.

Most ninja relied on ninjutsu, which took raw chakra and used it to manipulate nature, turning it into fire or gusts of wind or even manipulating the earth. This allowed the ninja to reach a certain level of efficiency when using their chakra, but it also grounded their abilities in the physical world – even when it is manipulated by chakra, fire still behaves like fire.

Raw chakra, as Kuushou knew very well, could ignore those limitations as the user wished. It could pick up solid objects or pass through them, assume any shape and stretch to any length limited only by the user's skill. What it _couldn't _do was ignore other chakra. As he had just demonstrated yet again to Hinata, if one source of chakra came into direct contact with another, the denser source would win and disrupt or even subsume the lesser source.

Chakra is rarely denser than when within a ninja's body.

The Hyuuga had overcome this limitation by honing their Gentle Fist until the chakra projections which characterized their style were exceedingly dense, and then utilized the Byakugan to target weak points within their opponent's bodies. The focus of their attacks is small enough and the chakra used dense enough that they can overcome the natural resistance of the chakra within the opponent's body.

Most ninja who utilized chakra strings kept them invisible and had numerous tricks to reconnect strings that were lost or to avoid having them disrupted in the first place. Those same tricks limited the potential of the art by essentially conceding that they would rarely if ever be useful directly against an opponent. The most advanced style he had ever heard of using chakra strings was Suna's puppet arts.

He was leading Hinata down another path entirely. Her Byakugan allowed her to utilize the strings at ranges and in situations other ninja could only dream of, but only if she could overcome that problem. The tree-walking exercise trained ninja to project raw chakra to effect the physical world and the Gentle Fist proved it was possible for humans to reach the density required – all that was left was to push that density into a string.

And, if she ever managed to create a string that could survive passing through him, there was not a ninja in the world who would be able to break it.

"You still have a long way to go on the density," Kuushou noted. "Work on that whenever you have the time. Start testing the technique against Kiba, then your teacher. If you can get it to survive passing through her, try with Shino. I suspect his kikaichuu will make that task exponentially harder."

Hinata nodded, her expression determined.

"In the meantime, I'm giving you a challenge."

Her eyes snapped to his.

"I want you to use this technique to attack me with a single kunai. If you can keep up the attack for five minutes, I'll teach you a secret technique that I think will meld very well with your current taijutsu style. I'll be doing my best to disrupt your control, though, and every time the kunai hits the ground the time resets."

She didn't even wait for him to say begin, immediately forming the densest string she could and whipping a kunai towards him.

He grinned to himself as he began dodging, his hands cutting through her string with unerring precision. There were several possible answers to this challenge, and it would be very interesting to see which ones she attempted.

* * *

><p>"So, I understand that congratulations are in order," Kuushou said as he walked into the clearing. Sasuke was already waiting, a confident smirk plastered on his face. Kakashi wasn't here – the jounin only attended about half the training sessions, even when he was still in Konoha – but Sasuke's watchers were. There were four of them again, two new ones and two that had attended every session regardless of whether Kakashi was there or not. He had yet to meet those two face to face, but the few times they hadn't been near Sasuke he'd actually sensed them <em>under <em>Konoha, along with quite a few other ninja. He'd also been around them long enough to pick up that something was slightly off about their chakra, though he couldn't quite figure out what.

"So you've heard," Sasuke said, his smirk growing slightly.

"Yep, activated your Sharingan fighting an enemy ninja and ended up saving both of your teammates lives in the process. Quite the accomplishment."

"Hn," Sasuke grunted, dismissing the praise. "I've been waiting for you to get back ever since it happened. It's time to see how much stronger I've really gotten."

"Oh, so you think your Sharingan is going to make all the difference, do you? I have faced the Sharingan before, you realize."

Internally, Kuushou felt a sense of anticipation growing. He hadn't had the chance to properly prepare for this moment the first time it had happened, but this... this he would be able to savor every moment of.

"All the better," Sasuke replied, slowly setting himself into a stance. "You'll see that I'm not the same as I was before!"

Kuushou sank into a stance of his own, unable to completely keep the grin off of his face.

Sasuke's chakra flared as he called out, "Sharingan!" It wasn't required to call out the name, but either Sasuke hadn't mastered it well enough yet or he just liked saying it.

His eyes focused on Sasuke, taking in every nuance of his expression.

First there was triumph, then a brief flinch as his eyes took in Kuushou's youki aura for the first time. That shifted to determination as the eyes opened fully once more. That held for nearly a second before the confusion set in. The confusion grew, and grew, then gained an edge of disbelief. The eyes widened further, the mouth opening as the jaw dropped. He lost the stance, drawing his feet closer together and one hand raising to point accusingly.

"What the _fuck_?"

Ah, there it was. Complete disbelief with a dash of frustrated anger; _perfect_. The fact that the other Sasuke had said the exact same thing when it happened to him four years ago made it that much better. It was just a shame that they didn't have a better audience this time.

Still, let it never be said that he wasn't a good teacher. He leaned forward, pushing with his legs and closing the distance to Sasuke while the boy stood stunned. One punch to the stomach, a kick to the knee, a twist that popped a shoulder out of joint, and then down with a kunai at his neck.

"I don't know," Kuushou said musingly. "It looks to me like you've gotten worse. You sure you're using those eyes of yours right?"

Sasuke coughed, then sucked in a harsh breath. "Seriously, what _is _that?" Like all of Kuushou's other students, something as simple as the pain from a dislocated shoulder wasn't going to distract them. Not after he'd done it to them a few dozen times, anyway.

"_That _would be one of the side effects of a certain condition of mine. You should have thought to consult with Kakashi or one of the Hyuuga about me; you might have been prepared for it. As it was you froze and got yourself killed. In fact... yes, this was your single worst performance of any of our spars."

Kuushou removed the kunai and took hold of Sasuke's arm, forcing his shoulder back into its socket with a sharp shove. The genin barely made a sound as Kuushou worked, waiting until his teacher had healed any strains or tears before pulling himself to his feet.

"Why can't I see how you're going to move?"

"Because the Sharingan uses the body's chakra emissions to predict that movement. In my case, I'm surrounded by chakra already, so whatever chakra I'm using to move is hidden from your sight."

Sasuke just glared at him in response.

"Just be glad it happened now with someone who wasn't actually going to kill you. There are other ways to avoid or negate the Sharingan, and now you'll be prepared when it happens again."

"Like what?" Sasuke asked belligerently. He clearly wasn't happy to learn that his Sharingan wasn't as powerful as he had thought.

Kuushou just shrugged. "Never bothered to find out. It-...," he paused, wondering if he should mention just who had told him that. Not right now, he concluded, though it could be useful later on. "I've sparred with other people who have the Sharingan in the past, and they mentioned they'd had to deal with that situation before."

Sasuke frowned at the news, but eventually nodded in acceptance.

"What happened on your mission?" he asked suddenly. "There have been a lot of rumors flying around, some of them frankly absurd."

Kuushou tilted his head curiously. "Such as?"

"Hn. You and Mitarashi went insane and killed everyone in Wave, and Konoha is trying to cover it up. You took over some shipping business and are going to quit the ninja forces to become a merchant. You were experimenting with a new exploding tag and ended up blowing up some important bridge. You-"

"I think I got it," Kuushou said drily. "In order: vaguely true, no, and someone else did it."

Sasuke looked interested in spite of himself. "How is 'you killed everyone in Wave' vaguely true?"

"We did technically depopulate a village and then execute the majority of the bandits in Wave. Oh, and in case you were wondering, civilian bounties are insultingly small."

"That bad?"

"D-ranks pay better."

Sasuke shuddered momentarily. "Bandits are worthless, got it. And the bridge?"

"Some nuke-nin called Zabuza Momochi and his partner sabotaged it as part of a trap. It failed, but not by much."

Sasuke frowned and opened his mouth to ask another question, but Kuushou cut him off. "Enough talking. Now that you've got your Sharingan, I expect you to use it as much as possible. You need to build up stamina with it and get used to what it can and can't track well."

Sasuke nodded, recovering some of his earlier enthusiasm. He settled into a stance again and activated his Sharingan, the tomoe in each eye spinning slowly.

* * *

><p>Kuushou returned to his apartment after the latest training session, his thoughts distant as his body went through the routine of stripping off his equipment and sealing everything away. The Chuunin Exams would begin in a few days, and all of his students would be participating. He would be interested to see how they fared against the other genin of this world, but that was ultimately nothing more than an amusing diversion.<p>

He had made good use of the security clearance provided to a chuunin, combing the reports on foreign activity to search for any mention of jinchuuriki or his brethren. He had only managed to confirm two jinchuuriki for certain – a ninja known as Kirabi in Kumo, and the Mizukage. Iwa supposedly had two jinchuuriki, but they had not been sighted for some time and were believed to have retired from active service. Suna was also stated as having one, but the identity of the container was not shown.

He was certain Konoha had better intelligence than that, but his current clearance did not allow him to access it. A tokubetsu jounin might be able to learn more, but that promotion was still several months out, at best.

He patted his flak vest, making sure that the small scrolls placed in hidden pockets on the inside were still present. He had enough funds to last at least a year and enough equipment to fully equip himself three times over. He even had enough materials to craft nearly a thousand seals if he needed to. He had no real need to continue performing missions for the money, though he continued to do so.

As he was doing more and more often lately, he weighed the benefits and risks of leaving.

The greatest risk would be his status as a missing-nin. He was powerful, far more powerful than anyone would suspect given his age, but he was also limited greatly by the seal. The first ninja they sent after him, the first team even, would likely die before they truly understood what was happening. Every one he killed, though, would result in stronger teams being sent after him, and they would eventually be able to overwhelm him and destroy his body. He would need to avoid detection and keep a low profile, which would complicate his search immensely.

On the other hand, leaving Konoha would remove some of his restraints. He wouldn't have to waste time performing missions for Konoha that had nothing to do with his own goals. He would be able to move far more freely than he could as a ninja of Konoha, even assuming he was promoted to full jounin and could take any mission he desired. He also wouldn't have to conceal the full extent of his abilities nearly as much when operating on his own.

Many possibilities floated through his mind, but, as he had so often before, he ended up delaying his decision. There was still more information to be gained from Konoha, and he did not have a clear plan for what he would do should he leave the village yet. His situation within Konoha _was _improving, at least in some respects, and additional time just meant he would be better prepared when he finally did make his choice.

* * *

><p>"Man, Ibiki sure picked a boring way to do this," Anko complained. They were sitting in a small room with a few other ninja, including the teachers for the Konoha teams, watching the exam take place through a small bank of monitors. There were several different views that, taken together, allowed them to see the entire room where the written test was taking place.<p>

The other ninja were focused on their own teams, watching their performance and noting flaws in their techniques. Anko was just sitting back and rapidly demolishing her stack of dango, not really concerned with which teams made it or not.

Kuushou, on the other hand, was focused on two specific people.

The first was someone he had felt enter the village yesterday, a red-headed boy from Suna who wore a large gourd strapped to his back. His physical appearance wasn't all that remarkable, but his chakra was unique. There was a clear demonic taint to it, though it was not one that he recognized. It was a foul, twisted thing, and it spoke of a demon that he would have put down himself, if only to keep it from befouling his senses.

He hadn't known that demons other than himself or his brethren could cross the realms safely, but it was just one of the many oddities in this new world, he supposed. He wasn't at all surprised to find that the humans had taken to sealing any demons they could get their hands on, however. If anything, now that he knew there were other demons around, he was surprised he hadn't come across more ninja like this Gaara.

As unusual as that one was, however, it was the other chakra signature that he was really interested in. This second one was strong, possessing more raw power than the Hokage and nearly as refined. The first time he had seen it, it belonged to the jounin sensei of the single team from the Hidden Sound, a new minor village that had recently appeared.

Now it belonged to a genin taking the exam, a female from the Hidden Grass village. The signature was suppressed, tightly controlled, and it wouldn't surprise him if Sasuke and any of the Hyuuga taking the exam failed to see it for what it was. It wasn't enough to fool him – suppressed or not, the signature was the same, and he wasn't about to ignore someone that powerful.

"See something interesting, Naruto?" Kakashi asked lazily, flipping a page in the book he was reading. His question drew the attention of the rest of the room.

Kuushou turned to look at the gray-haired jounin, pondering how to respond. He had kept the fact that he could sense chakra a secret, since doing so greatly increased that particular skill's effectiveness and allowed him to discover a lot of useful information with no one the wiser – he wasn't about to give up that advantage. On the other hand, he doubted someone who could rival a Kage was taking the Chuunin Exams because it amused them. Whoever it was wanted something, and once the second phase began they would most likely be able to get it. That person could likely slaughter every ninja in the exam room, proctors included, without breaking a sweat.

Which would be... annoying. His time training the Clan Kids of this world had been more satisfying than expected, and he wasn't about to just throw away his work – on Hinata especially. He was expecting to see his efforts really bear fruit in this exam, and it would be quite interesting if it came down to her and Sasuke in the finals. The others weren't bad – even Sakura and Ino had improved greatly, the former scared enough to let go of some of her delusions and the latter no doubt plotting revenge on him every step of the way – but they also weren't in the same league as those two. Sasuke had the same innate talent as in his own world and Hinata had acquired – or perhaps simply revealed – a level of viciousness that was quite beautiful to behold.

He had eventually heard form other sources just what had happened during that spar between Hinata and her little sister. Kurenai had heard from one of the Hyuuga who witnessed it, and she had told Anko, and Anko had relayed the story to him gleefully. It seemed that Hinata had barely even fought back in prior spars, unable or unwilling to actually strike at her own sister. Hanabi had entered the spar expecting an easy win and aiming to take out Hinata quickly and with a minimum of force – her own form of kindness, he supposed.

Instead, Hinata had sealed half her tenketsu, almost broken the girl's left arm as she pulled it out of its socket, and ended up standing over her with hand poised at the younger girl's temple, all in a matter of seconds.

He wondered if this was what proud teachers felt like. Not only had she completely dominated her opponent, but she had done so without causing any permanent harm. It wouldn't be appropriate to truly damage family, but as it was, her actions reminded him of his own fights with his brethren. Given proper adjustments for human frailty, of course.

Which brought him back to the ninja infiltrating the exams. If it came to a true battle, none of the genin even had a hope of surviving. His eyes narrowed as he contemplated his options.

"Naruto?" Kakashi asked, actually looking up from his book. "Is something wrong?"

"It's just...," he said slowly, frowning. "There's something off about that girl, the Grass-nin in the fourth row."

Kakashi turned, his eye sweeping the monitors as he tried to locate the genin in question. He found her after a few moments and began studying her. "Is she sabotaging the exam somehow?" the masked ninja asked. Anko also sat up, taking an active interest in the exam for the first time.

"No, nothing like that," Kuushou replied, shaking his head. "It's just... I dunno. She _looks_ normal enough, for a ninja, but there's just something off. Like she's different from the others."

The room watched in silence for a few moments, then, "She's a ringer," Kakashi announced, shrugging as he turned back to his back.

"What?" That had _not _been the reaction he was expecting.

"Yeah, I see it," Asuma muttered, looking unhappy. "Figures Grass would pull something like this."

"What do you mean by ringer?" Kuushou prompted.

"All the villages do this to some extent," Kakashi began to explain. "They'll have ninja officially ranked as genin whose skills and experience is more along the lines of a solid chuunin. It's technically not illegal, though most villages don't go overboard with it. The team from Suna with the Kazekage's children, for instance, really should be chuunin already. They aren't here to get promoted, they're here to show off."

Asuma spoke up next. "This one doesn't look old enough to have a lot of experience, but if you look closely, the way she moves gives it away. She's a little too relaxed, a little too graceful. And if you check out her exam sheet, she's already done."

"Good catch, Blondie," Anko said.

"So... what now?"

Anko leaned back in her chair, losing interest again. "Now? Nothing. Like Cyclops here said, it's not illegal, nothing we can do, officially."

Kuushou picked up on that immediately. "And _un_officially?"

"Hypothetically, a rumor or two about how strong the team from Grass is might make its way around by the time we get to the Forest of Death. Of course, as a proctor I am supposed to report any signs of tampering with the exams I witness," she continued, leaning back and closing her eyes with a theatrical yawn, "so I'm sure that won't happen."

One of the ninja slipped out of the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

"As for the exams themselves," Anko said, opening her eyes again, "I daresay that team will be one of the ones to pass. If the other teams have any sense, they'll give them a wide berth and look for easier prey. If the Grass team is here to show off, they'll wait until the third round when they have an audience."

Kuushou frowned but nodded in agreement.

* * *

><p>After the first exam concluded and Anko had made her entrance – he wasn't sure what purpose that had served, other than to amuse her – they led the remaining teams to the Forest of Death and Anko began explaining the rules for the second phase.<p>

"Any questions?" Anko asked after she had finished, her tone heavily implying that actual questions would not be welcome.

The assembled genin remained silent, some of them looking worried and others eager. Kuushou was studying the fake Grass-nin, trying to figure out what their goal was, but the ninja wasn't giving anything away, appearing to listen with as much interest as anyone else.

"In that case, if you'll step into this tent you will be provided a map of the forest that has the locations of all of the key points clearly marked. I suggest you don't lose it, as you will not be getting another. Once you have your map, you will be escorted to a gate and will wait until the second phase begins."

It took almost an hour to get all of the genin in position. Anko gave the signal, a sadistic grin on her face, and the gates were flung open.

There wasn't exactly a whole to do after that, Kuushou noted. The chuunin – other than himself – started breaking down the tent and carting away all of the tables and chairs. Anko had to remain here for a while in case any of the other proctors encountered issues, but her job was over for the most part.

It was about thirty minutes later that one of the proctors entered the clearing, a frown on his face. "Mitarashi-san!" he called out. "We found three bodies just outside the testing area."

Anko frowned. "Someone getting an early start?"

The chuunin shook his head rapidly. "No. They've been dead for at least a day, and they're... weird."

Anko sighed. "Fine, show me."

* * *

><p>Anko knelt next to the body, studying the corpse closely. For his part, Kuushou was more interested in the symbol on the headband – Grass.<p>

Suddenly, Anko jumped to her feet and started cursing. "Fuck, fuck, fuck. What the fuck is that asshole doing here, now? What could he want in the-" Her head snapped up, her face pale and eyes wide.

"You!" she shouted, grabbing one of the chuunin standing nearby. "Alert the Hokage that Orochimaru is in the Forest of Death!"

The man gasped and nodded sharply, disappearing in a shunshin. "The rest of you, start alerting the rest of our forces! Move!"

The other ninja disappeared, leaving him alone with Anko.

"And what are we going to be doing?" he asked curiously.

She startled and turned to face him. She stared at him for a moment before she set her face into a glare. "I ordered you to alert the rest of our forces, chuunin! Now move!" she snapped, then leapt away, heading south parallel to the high fence surrounding the forest.

Kuushou raised an eyebrow curiously, wondering at the sudden shift in Anko's attitude. It wasn't until she abruptly swerved and jumped into the forest that he realized what she was doing. Apparently she was going after Orochimaru herself and didn't want anyone to know. The question was, for what purpose?

Kuushou snorted and leapt into the forest, following behind her at a distance. Her current course wasn't quite in the right direction if she wanted to catch the signature that must belong to Orochimaru – no doubt the owner of the powerful signature he had noticed during the first test – but it would get her close. It would be interesting to see just what she expected to accomplish.

He frowned when he noticed that Orochimaru was near Sasuke and Sakura's position. He probably wasn't there to kill them, else they would be dead already, but what was he trying to do? Why go through all this trouble just to get close to them? Wouldn't it have been simpler and easier to just wait until they were out of the village on a mission? Or was he specifically trying to get to them while they were away from Kakashi from some reason?

Orochimaru began moving away, leaving both of them – and their teammate, this one a genin Kuushou actually recognized from his world, Kensuke Ogawa – behind, alive. Sasuke's chakra was behaving very oddly, though. He'd never sensed anything quite like that before.

Still, the boy was alive, so he returned his attention to Anko, continuing to trail her until she managed to intercept Orochimaru roughly thirty minutes later. He settled into the trees high above their position and listened to their conversation.

"Yes... you and I will die..." Anko said as she began performing a technique – a suicide technique, based on her words.

Of course, there was a problem with that, Kuushou noted. She had a clone pinned to a tree while the real Orochimaru watched from some distance away.

"Hehe... planning to commit suicide?" Orochimaru called out. He didn't speak himself, though; he used yet another clone instead while letting the one Anko had pinned to the tree dissolve. The real him... was actually making his way towards Kuushou's position.

"You are a tokubetsu jounin of this village," the clone called out, "you shouldn't be using all of those forbidden jutsu I taught you." Then the clone did something and Anko's chakra acted like it was seizing. Kuushou's eyes narrowed as he noticed a foreign chakra flooding into Anko's system. It definitely hadn't been there before, or at least not enough of it to detect in all the time he'd been around her, but it was pouring into her now. It seemed to be originating from a spot high on her left shoulder.

The clone continued to taunt Anko, revealing that he had given a "cursed seal" to Sasuke, said seal presumably why the genin's chakra was acting so oddly and why Orochimaru could freeze Anko in place at will. The real Orochimaru had come to a stop roughly ten meters away from his own position, probably observing him even as he observed the scene below.

Anko continued to weaken, eventually dropping to her hands and knees while the clone continued to taunt her. Feeling the real one form yet another clone and send it towards him, Kuushou made his move.

He pitched forward, rolling around the branch he was crouched on then launching himself straight down towards the ground. His hands flew through seals as he dove, and the moment he was close enough he launched a massive blast of wind that crushed the clone to the ground. He landed himself a moment later, kunai digging into the clone's head and heart as if he was finishing off his opponent.

"Are you alright, Anko?" he snapped, withdrawing the kunai and stepping towards her. The clone's chakra was dissipating behind him, but the real Orochimaru flitted through the trees with ease and landed on a branch roughly twenty meters away... then made _another _clone and sent it forward.

Meanwhile, Anko was staring at him in horror. "No... get out of here, you idiot!" she screamed. "I told you to go with the others!"

"Technically, you ordered me to help alert the other ninja. I figured I would alert any who were inside the forest," he countered, smirking.

Anko didn't look amused. If anything, her fear grew. "You think you killed him like that? He-"

"Kukuku..." the clone interrupted as it stepped forward, "what's this? Does my little Anko-chan have a student of her own?"

Anko tried to rise to her feet, but only managed to stumble forward a few steps before falling again. "Why won't you just fucking _die_?" she screamed in rage.

"I'm hurt," the clone taunted. "Is that really the sort of thing you should be saying in front of an impressionable boy? The things he must be learning from you! As his teacher's teacher, I feel that it's my duty to step in and... _correct _the deficiencies in his education."

Anko somehow made it to her feet this time, moving to place herself between Kuushou and the clone. "Get the fuck out of here," she snarled at him before turning back to the clone. "You wo-"

Whatever she was about to say was lost as the clone raised its hand and formed a seal. At the same time, the foreign chakra in Anko's system surged and her body convulsed. She dropped to the ground and began to shake uncontrollably.

"Failures should be silent when the teacher is speaking," the clone said calmly, walking forward. "I've heard a great deal about you, Naruto _Yamanaka, _visitor from another reality. Tell me, how is this Konoha treating you, hmm?"

Kuushou raised an eyebrow curiously, wondering where the man was going with this. He also noted that Anko, while in pain and struggling to counteract whatever Orochimaru was doing to her, wasn't suffering any physical damage from the experience that he could detect.

"What must it be like, to constantly endure the reminders of how things used to be, to see the faces that you know but that don't know you? Friends who have become strangers, a sister who can no longer stand your presence, a father and mother who know nothing about you?"

Ah, so that's what he was after; the man was actually trying to recruit him! This should be an interesting experience, being on the other side of such a conversation.

Anko coughed something, clawing at the dirt feebly as she tried to move. Her eyes were focused on him, her expression fearful and pleading, and she kept mouthing the word "Run."

Kuushou met her gaze for a moment, then walked forward and stepped past her.

"Quite terrible," he replied honestly. "I used to be respected, did you know that?"

"Oh, do tell," the clone said, a smile growing on his face. Anko let out a choked scream from behind him.

"Yes. It used to be that I was the one everyone looked up to, the one everyone desired to emulate. I was smarter, faster, stronger, _better_... and everyone knew it. Ever since I got here, it's just been one insult after another as I have to constantly prove myself again and again."

The clone made some agreeing noises, and the real one shifted closer, moving from one tree to another as he did so. "I can sympathize," the clone said smoothly as it nodded knowingly. "It is always the greatest who are the subject of envy and jealousy. Lesser ninja seek to pull us down, deny us what should rightfully be ours."

"You _do _understand," Kuushou said. Behind him, Anko made a strangled whimper and began clawing at the dirt even more fiercely, and the real Orochimaru shifted closer again, close enough now to observe the conversation directly. Kuushou took another step forward. "I've heard of you, you know. They called you a monster and a traitor, a madman who experimented on his fellow ninja and innocent civilians."

"Yes... I have heard what they say about me," the clone replied, sounding saddened. "I'm afraid that my techniques and skills were too far ahead of my peers for them to properly understand my work. My methods have also been... exaggerated over time."

Kuushou nodded again. "I've had extensive medical training myself," he noted, "and many of the techniques I was taught would no doubt seem barbaric to the uninitiated. And, without experimentation, how could we possibly improve our techniques?"

The clone's grin widened. "Precisely!" It seemed to think to itself for a moment, one finger tapping its chin, then it nodded. "You know, someone like you is really wasted in this sort of place. A talent such as yours would really... _flourish_ in a more, shall we say, flexible environment?"

"You may have a point," Kuushou replied, taking another step closer.

"It just so happens that I could provide such an environment. I am not without means, and I could always use someone of your particular talents in my work."

Kuushou nodded, a small smile on his face. "That does sound tempting..." he said, trailing off, "but there's a small complication," he finished, sighing in disappointment.

"Oh? And what would that be?" the clone asked curiously.

"Well, it's nothing major, but..." Kuushou said, leaning forward. The clone matched his movement, and Kuushou met its eyes with a rueful grin on his face.

The clearing erupted into a firestorm without any warning, obliterating the clone and catching the original as well. Fire and wind swirled together, spreading rapidly as they ignited the dry leaves, the sticks, the trees, the grass, the very air. Orochimaru dropped underground the next moment, but found no escape there as the dirt and stone suddenly compressed, trying to crush his form into paste even as water flowed over him, turning into acid as it tried to burn his flesh and seep through his skin to strike at his insides. Spikes lanced toward him from all directions, seeking to impale him and tear him asunder. The stone erupted outwards as he burst from the ground, only to find the fires turning in midair to surround him, the blaze pressing from all sides as lightning bolts flashed through the air.

For one brief moment Kuushou thought he had actually succeeded – he could feel the flames burning through the man's skin, the stone striking bone as it tore through his body, the lightning cauterizing his flesh as it burned through him – then he was gone, some unknown technique removing him from the conflagration to nearly a kilometer away. His signal fluctuated wildly for several seconds, then he was moving, retreating rapidly. And _another _clone stayed behind, high in the trees.

A thought snuffed out the fires, leaving the smoldering grass and the charred and twisted landscape behind. Only a small area was left unscathed, and Anko lay within it, her eyes bulging as she took in the destruction and Kuushou's unmarked form.

"... I'd rather just kill you," Kuushou finished to himself, his eyes narrowed as his gaze tracked the man's progress. That had been his best shot short of manifesting his youki, and he wasn't entirely certain he'd even seriously wounded Orochimaru – the man certainly didn't seem hindered if his speed was any indication. He knew some of those attacks had landed, but there was no evidence of that now.

"Kukuku..." the clone said as it appeared, standing on a branch high above them. "I had thought my own dear teacher had arrived with some of his minions to interrupt our little chat, but here I find that it was only you. How very... _interesting_."

The clone dropped from the tree, landed on the ground with barely a whisper of sound and then began walking forward slowly, a smirk on its face. "I had considered my work done with my little present to Sasuke-kun, but _you... _you are quite the prize yourself, aren't you? Perhaps my failure of an apprentice has some use after all, serving to bring you to my attention.

"Who knows," the clone continued, spreading its arm wide, "I may find it in my heart to accept you even after your deplorable lapse in judgment. Still, if you want to stick with the failure and the fools of this village..." the clone trailed off for a moment as it leveled its killing intent on him, "I can always get what I want as I dissect you piece by piece."

The clone let out another evil laugh even as it collapsed into dirt.

Kuushou stared at the remains of the clone for a few seconds, his eyes narrowed, then moved to help Anko back to her feet. She took his hand, her body still shaking from the aftereffects of whatever Orochimaru had been doing to her, then he suddenly felt himself flipping through the air. He landed on his back, Anko straddling his chest a moment later with a kunai in each hand pressed against the sides of his neck.

"What was _that_?" Her face twisted with fury as she leaned closer, the kunai breaking his skin and releasing small rivulets of blood as she increased the pressure. "Why were you listening to that _bastard_?" she snarled, her eyes glinting with madness and rage.

"So I could get close enough to kill him," he replied calmly, looking into her eyes without hesitation or fear.

Her face twisted again, her hands shaking and making more small cuts along his throat. None were deep enough to be truly serious, but his skin was starting to get rather bloody.

"I told you to run!" she screamed.

"And leave you to die? I refuse."

"Don't you-" she started to scream, her face twisting again. Her hands were shaking badly now, but she had moved the kunai away. "Don't," she repeated, her voice faltering as tears started to well from her eyes. "Don't you dare do something like that again," she finally gasped out.

With that, the dam broke, great heaving sobs racking her form as she collapsed on top of him.

Well. He hadn't expected _this_ to happen, but then Anko had never said a word about Orochimaru, or her cursed seal, or any of this. Given how Orochimaru had talked about her as his student and a "failure," some of her offhand comments about not getting along with the Council and other little things now made a lot more sense. He wondered if she'd ever actually talked about any of this, with anyone – given how thoroughly she had avoided the topic or anything remotely related to it before, he suspected not.

Thinking back on it, she hadn't been properly in control of herself since they found those bodies outside the Forest of Death. He never would have expected Anko to sacrifice herself to kill anyone – she'd always struck him as the vengeful type, true, but also as a survivor. He'd also known she saw him as a friend, but she'd never actually said it outright; the only fondness she'd ever openly expressed was for dango.

Things would be different once she'd calmed down, he knew – assuming she didn't immediately try to kill him for witnessing her breakdown.

Depending on _how _different, he might just need to reevaluate some of his earlier assumptions regarding her potential.

* * *

><p>Some time later, Anko had recovered enough to get her emotions under control and let him off the ground. They had moved a short distance from the destroyed section of the forest and were now seated against the trunk of a large tree, Anko staring into the distance as her mind wandered.<p>

"What was that, at the end?" she asked quietly. "For a moment I thought a squad of ANBU had decided to unleash hell on Orochimaru, not caring whether or not we got caught up in it. Wouldn't have blamed them if they did," she added, frowning.

Kuushou turned to stare at her, and after a few seconds of silence she tilted her head to meet his gaze. "That was a technique I have told no one about, _shown _to no one," he said earnestly. "I thought it would be enough to catch him... it may have been, if the one we were talking to hadn't turned out to be a clone." He snorted. "_All _of them were clones, it seems."

Anko scowled, one hand clenching into a fist unconsciously. "That's one thing about that bastard... you almost never see the real him. I thought I was good enough to tell the clones from the real one, but..."

"Still, it was enough to scare him off at least. I almost thought he was going to kill us both after he survived my attack, but he just left. Well, after the grand promises and menacing threats, of course."

Anko shook her head, fixing him with a serious gaze. "You should have run when I told you to. He wasn't going to kill me; he gets too much amusement out of leaving me alive to suffer," she admitted, her voice and expression filled with loathing. "He might have withdrawn this time since you managed to surprise him, but he already knew more information about you than he should have. Now he'll be coming for you specifically. All you did was waste a trump card and bring more danger down on yourself."

"He already knew about me," Kuushou countered. "He was likely going to come for me sooner or later anyway, and at least this way I know about it. I'm much more interested in what he did to you... if that cursed seal is so dangerous, why hasn't it been locked away?"

"I didn't know he could do that," Anko muttered. "As for why I still have it, no one could figure out how to remove it. As long as I left it alone, it never did anything more than ache on occasion. I thought it was ultimately nothing more than an unwelcome tattoo."

Kuushou stared at her, an idea rapidly taking root.

"What?" she asked.

"Can I examine it?"

She drew back slightly, one hand coming up to cover the mark. "Why?" she asked uncomfortably.

"Because it's obviously a lot more than you thought, and I honestly don't know what to make of that."

She stiffened. "What do you mean?"

"It's just a thought at the moment, but if I can examine it, I might be able to say for sure."

She stared at him for nearly a minute, her face carefully blank and betraying nothing of what she was thinking. Then, slowly, she drew hand away and turned to give him a clearer view.

Kuushou moved until he was kneeling beside her, one hand framing the mark while the other was poised above it. The Cursed Seal of Heaven, as Orochimaru had named it, really did resemble a tattoo at first glance – the seal consisted of three _tomoe_, the narrow ends all facing outward giving it a vaguely spiraling shape. It was the color that gave it away, though. The _tomoe _were pitch black, the color not faded at all with the passage of time.

He lowered his hand, pressing gently against the seal. He could feel Anko stiffening beside him, but she made no protest. It took several minutes before he could coax a reaction from the seal, but eventually a dark, densely packed circle of script appeared around the _tomoe_.

He pulled several scrolls out of his pack, quickly writing out a decompression tag which he applied to the cursed seal in sections. What appeared on the scrolls was densely packed and complex, but it was, unlike the seal on her skin, legible.

"What are you doing?" Anko asked quietly, the first words she had spoken since he started working.

"Creating a copy of the seal that I can examine in more detail later."

"What about what you said earlier? About not knowing what to make of it?"

Kuushou nodded, allowing the seal to revert back to its normal state and putting away the scrolls. He settled back against the tree even as Anko pulled up the collar of her coat and tugged it more tightly around her frame.

"Did they say why they didn't place any sort of barrier or restriction around the cursed seal?"

Anko looked thoughtful for a moment, then shook her head. "I can't remember it ever coming up... but until the bastard showed back up it hasn't been a problem."

"Hasn't it? You just said that it ached on occasion."

"Well, yeah, but after the first few times where there wasn't any difference I stopped worrying about it."

"What did they tell you about the pain?"

"That it wasn't causing any physical damage they could detect, and to let them know if it got any worse. It never did, though."

Kuushou sighed quietly, shaking his head.

"What?" Anko growled, some of her normal attitude returning as she grew irritated.

"In less than ten minutes I can already tell you that the Cursed Seal of Heaven is very complex, both in design and function. I can also tell you based on the overall design that there are several basic techniques that could be applied to limit its functioning and ability to influence your system."

"Good." She nodded firmly. "I want all of them."

"I can do that," Kuushou agreed, "whenever you like. But," he said quickly, seeing that Anko was no doubt about to ask that he do it immediately, "that wasn't my point."

"Then what _was _your _point_, Blondie?"

"Suppose you received a package – just a normal, harmless looking box addressed to you – and you found out it was from Orochimaru, what would you do?"

"Burn it."

"Suppose you couldn't. Suppose you couldn't damage the box itself for some reason, or even open it yourself."

"Lock it up in the deepest, darkest hole I could find. Where are you going with this, Blondie?"

"Suppose you wanted to find out what was in the package."

Anko frowned. "I can't break it and I can't open it, so I'd just have to watch and wa-"

Kuushou watched the horror flitting across her face. "Did you ever ask them to remove it?"

"Of course I did! But... they said they didn't know how, couldn't do it without possibly killing me."

"And they _never _offered to seal it off? Not even Jiraiya-sama?"

Anko slowly shook her head. "Not that I remember, no. But, maybe they tried while I was still out of it, and failed."

"What has Jiraiya-sama said about it?"

"He... I...," Anko seemed to be getting more and more agitated. "I've never talked with him directly about it."

Kuushou remained silent for several seconds, a deep frown on his face. Then, slowly, he asked, "Did Jiraiya-sama look at it at all?"

"He... maybe? I was in and out of it when I first got back, he could have done it then. He must have."

"But nothing since then? No follow ups about the seal itself, rather than its effects on you? With anyone?"

Anko shook her head. "I talked to some med-nin about the pain, and they did a bunch of tests, but... they said as long as I didn't mess with it myself, everything would be fine! It _was _fine!" She was on her feet now, pacing back and forth and making sharp motions as she talked.

Kuushou shrugged and spread his hands. "Like I said, I don't quite know what to make of that. It just seems odd that they didn't take any precautions. You could have died today because there was nothing stopping Orochimaru from doing whatever he wanted with your cursed seal."

"But, there was no way they could have known! I'm the only person we know of who even survived getting this fucking thing!"

Kuushou cocked his head to the side and nodded slowly. "Perhaps it's as you say. Still, even if I'm not a seal master like Jiraiya-sama, there are some things I can do to make the cursed seal safer for you." He paused then, his eyes narrowing. "The _only one_ who survived? Didn't Orochimaru say he gave one of those to Sasuke earlier?"

* * *

><p>Anko latched onto that distraction, leading him through the Forest towards the area where Team Kakashi was likely to be. It took her another thirty minutes of searching before she found them – they had holed up in a small hollow under the giant trees that populated the Forest of Death.<p>

"We can't actually interfere," Anko said quietly as they watched Sakura and her other teammate, Kensuke, arguing quietly as they set up a thick series of traps.

"I believe we aren't supposed to be in here at all," Kuushou pointed out. "That didn't stop you earlier."

Anko shot him a dirty look, but didn't respond to his comment. "He must still be alive," she said instead, "otherwise they would be trying to leave the forest. Can't pass with a dead teammate."

"I would like to examine him," Kuushou said. "A chance to observe the seal newly applied or, even better, as it is taking root could prove invaluable to neutralizing or even removing it."

Anko's head whipped around, her eyes wide. "You can-" she started to shout before she cut herself off. She drew in a deep breath, then continued much more quietly, "You think you can remove it?" It was impossible to miss the desperate hope in her voice.

"I don't know nearly as much about seals as Jiraiya-sama, certainly, but I'm not completely ignorant and I am fairly certain I know more about medical jutsu than he does. From what I saw earlier, there must be a physical component to the seal. I plan to approach the problem from that angle."

There was also the option to utilize his youki, but that could end up doing more damage than the cursed seal itself.

Anko swallowed thickly, then tore her eyes away to stare down at the scene below. "What about his teammates? Do you think you can keep them from talking about our interference?"

Kuushou smiled darkly. "Sakura, absolutely. The other kid, probably. But it seems much simpler if we just incapacitate them before they see us at all."

Anko smirked, nodding to him. "That'll work."

* * *

><p>The traps – fairly skilled for genin work – were easily evaded, and two quick blows had both Sakura and Kensuke unconscious before they even had a chance to react. They moved them inside the hollow and placed them against the walls, then Anko took up a lookout position, splitting her attention between him and their surroundings.<p>

Kuushou knelt next to Sasuke, noting that he could easily feel the foreign chakra flowing within Sasuke's system. It was far from dormant, which meant that it was still trying to perform its work.

Perfect.

He started with a basic diagnostic jutsu, trying to get a read on Sasuke's physical state. The moment he did so, however, the foreign chakra reacted violently, lashing out and attempting to expel his own chakra. No, not just expel... expel and _infect._ He drew his hand back, noting the darkening flesh and burning sensation as the chakra attacked him. He heard Anko draw in a sharp breath, but he was more focused on what was happening inside his body.

The foreign chakra – Orochimaru's, though the signature was somewhat different from what he had felt from the man himself – was traveling along his chakra network, attempting to take root in his tenketsu and attacking the rest of his body from there. It was paralyzing his muscles and destroying his flesh; necrosis was already starting to set in, and he had no doubt if he let it continue unabated it would destroy the rest of his body with equal facility.

He allowed it to spread nearly up to his elbow before he was satisfied he knew how it worked; once he was, he pushed back with his youki. The foreign chakra tried to infect that as well, but failed miserably, and instead it was in turn consumed and destroyed.

Then the foreign chakra _pulled back_, and Kuushou knew he was dealing with something entirely different from what he had first thought.

The foreign chakra stopped moving entirely, almost as if it was _thinking_. Rather than allow it to regroup, he flooded his arm with youki, repairing the damage and flushing the foreign chakra out of his system entirely. It struggled as he did so, pulling itself together into a dense ball, but that just made his job easier as he surrounded it and crushed it.

"-ammit Naruto, don't you _fucking _do this to me!" he heard, and he realized that Anko was shaking him back and forth, her voice tense and worried.

"My apologies," he said, turning to look at her. "The cursed seal has a defense mechanism of sorts that I had to deal with. Everything is fine."

"Don't fuck with me," she snapped. "Your arm is-" she cut off abruptly, noting that his arm was healed and that no sign of the damage remained.

"Med-nin, remember?" he pointed out, smirking.

She stared at his arm for a moment, then glared at him. "Once we get out of here, you and I are going to have a _long _conversation about just what it is you can do."

Kuushou nodded; she had seen too much to just wave it away at this point. "In the meantime, let's see what else Sasuke here can tell me."

He reached out his hand again, but Anko jerked him back. "Like hell you will," she snapped, causing him to frown in annoyance.

"Whatever it tried to do failed already, and I now know how to stop it from happening in the first place. I've also discovered some vital information that will be invaluable in dealing with the cursed seal."

Her eyes narrowed. "Like what?"

He paused, then shook his head. His theory as to why the chakra behaved like it did made sense to him, but Anko's likely reaction would be... extreme, especially she had a cursed seal of her own that in all likelihood worked the same way. "I'll explain later. Every moment we waste is more information lost."

Anko looked torn, but finally stepped back. "Fine."

Kuushou nodded and resumed his examination of Sasuke. This time when the chakra tried to infect him, he pushed it towards a mass of youki he kept in his hand, not allowing it a chance to react or retreat. This proved sufficient, as it had no time to damage his body and the rest of the chakra in Sasuke's body did not react.

With that problem resolved, he focused on what the cursed seal was doing to Sasuke. There were trace amounts of Orochimaru's chakra throughout Sasuke's system, but the concentration was miniscule everywhere he scanned. Finding no answers there, he moved to examine the area directly around the seal, and _there _he found plenty of changes.

The seal was attempting to force itself into his chakra network, and not just by means of injecting chakra. It was already halfway done with dissolving one of Sasuke's major tenketsu and rerouting the chakra network to feed into and out of the seal itself. Chakra – both Sasuke's and Orochimaru's – was leaking out into Sasuke's body in the meantime, and he could see where the surrounding flesh was being poisoned and damaged by the conflicting chakras and fluctuating concentrations. The entire process was putting a massive strain on Sasuke's system – his heart rate was extremely high, as was his blood pressure. Given the physical damage the seal was causing, it wouldn't surprise him if most of those who had died did so from ruptured arteries or heart attacks.

He went ahead and healed the damage that had already accrued in Sasuke's shoulder and neck. He also short-circuited the seal's efforts, creating two new tenketsu and splitting the connections to Sasuke's network while healing his original tenketsu. The end result was that the seal was connected to the network as it had been trying to do, but not by replacing the tenketsu as originally intended. Sasuke's chakra was flowing through both his own tenketsu and the seal in equal measure, and the seal could be cut out of the loop at any time.

He stopped there, noting that Sasuke was already noticeably improving and that the seal was going dormant. Satisfied with his work, he stood and moved to the entrance of the hollow to stand next to Anko.

"I've got what I need," he said quietly, "and Sasuke will survive, especially after I helped him out."

"Alright, let's get out of here." She moved over to Sakura, pulling out a senbon and scratching her arm. With a quick motion, they both left the hollow, though not before he heard Sakura jerk awake with a startled yelp.

* * *

><p>They met up with a group of ANBU outside of the forest, Anko reporting that she had encountered Orochimaru personally. He was somewhat surprised when she excluded his involvement in the confrontation from her report completely, instead claiming that he had found her after Orochimaru left.<p>

After that, Anko left to report to the Hokage directly while he, as someone who hadn't been in contact with Orochimaru, was directed to resume his duties. Of course, since his duties for the duration of the second phase had been to act as Anko's personal assistant, that really meant that it was time for him to return home.

He immediately began studying and dissecting the seal once he had returned to his apartment, and was still doing so when Anko approached a few hours later.

"Alright, Blondie," she said once he had let her in and closed – and sealed – the door behind her, "start talking."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Major thanks to the folks at the spacebattles forums for providing feedback on this chapter. **

**We're starting to move further and further away from canon now, and there are certain events coming up that are going to derail things completely, though hopefully in ways that aren't completely obvious. **

**Next chapter will be the convo between Anko and Kuushou and some scenes to establish what's been going on in the background while Kuushou's been busy. Hopefully I'll make it to the finals, though that will depend on how much space those scenes take up.**

**FF dot net is being really bitchy about line breaks for some reason. If you notice any of them missing, please let me know.  
><strong>

**As always, thanks for reading and thanks for all the reviews!**


	10. I've Got A Secret

"_Alright, Blondie, start talking."_

"Where would you like me to begin?" Kuushou asked.

"You can... is that the seal?" she asked instead, her eyes focusing on the numerous scrolls spread out across the living room.

"Part of it, yes," he replied easily. He laid down the scroll he had been studying and moved over to one of the small chairs, motioning for her to sit as well.

It took her a moment to move her gaze back to him, but she eventually did so. "What is going on with you, Blondie? I've seen med-nins work before, but never that fast and _never _on themselves. And then that technique you used... what the _fuck _was _that_?"

Kuushou leaned back and let out a slow sigh, rubbing his hand over his face. "You remember the... _limitation _the seal places upon me, yes?"

Anko nodded, looking curious as to where he was going with this.

"Well, the seal is not without its benefits as well. I'm sure Inoichi and the Hokage are aware of some of what went into that technique, but it's only been recently that I have really gotten anywhere with it."

Anko's brow furrowed. "That's vague as shit, Blondie."

"I'm talking about this," he said, raising one hand and allowing a stream of mixed youki and chakra to extend from it. The purple energy curled in the air, swaying back and forth like the head of a snake.

Her eyes widened and she became very still. "Why is your chakra purple?"

"Because it's only half mine," he said with a smirk.

"And the other half?"

"I think you can guess."

She nodded slowly, her eyes distant. "That's why, isn't it? The seal doesn't hold back your chakra at all, it's there for the tailed beast. But because it's combined like that, it hits you too."

Kuushou blinked, then grinned widely. "Right in one. Given how you act, it's sometimes easy to forget just how intelligent you actually are."

She flipped him off absentmindedly, her focus still on the stream of chakra emerging from his hand. "That doesn't quite explain what happened in the forest, though, or how you can heal yourself so quickly."

"Doesn't it?" a voice asked from beside her. She jerked sideways, then flung herself backwards when she saw a mass of flame shaped like the boy in front of her smirking at her side. The flames walked forward, seeming to pass through the chair without so much as scorching the cushion, and stopped next to her.

"As I'm sure you heard in your briefing, my chakra control is marked as S-rank." He waited for her to nod slowly before he shook his head. "It isn't. My chakra control is _perfect._"

The flame clone winked out to be replaced by a water clone that formed out of thin air. "I told Kakashi that my affinity was wind. That's technically true, but irrelevant. I can control all elements equally well."

A lightning clone replaced the water clone.

"What I did in the forest was leverage that control into a technique of my own devising. It's perhaps the only five-element technique in the world, although it's really more like multiple techniques used in rapid succession."

The lightning clone dispersed, and Anko slowly pulled herself to her feet. "Why have you been hiding this? With a technique like that, you could qualify for tokubetsu jounin, easily. Fuck, your combat rating should probably be flat-out S if you can do something like _that_."

"I'm surprised you have to ask that, Anko," Kuushou said calmly, shaking his head. "What do you think would happen if other ninja found out I was using the Kyuubi's chakra, regardless of how or why?"

"It wouldn't be _that _bad," she countered. "We all know what jinchuuriki are and what they can do."

"Perhaps I should rephrase; what would they think if they knew my entire body was _saturated _with the Kyuubi's chakra, to the point where all someone with the Byakugan or Sharingan can see is that chakra with only flashes of human chakra in the mix?"

Her face paled and she took a step back reflexively.

He flashed a wounded look across his face before adopting a completely blank expression. "Exactly," he said, his voice shifting into a monotone.

She flinched, then shook herself and stalked forward. "No," she snapped quickly, her expression fierce. "Don't you fucking start any of that shit with me. That's not what I expected to hear, but that doesn't change a fucking thing. You aren't the only one stuck with shit you don't want, and don't you _dare _think I'm like some of the assholes in this village."

By the end of her rant she was leaning over him, her face inches from his own and a harsh glare on her face.

He held his mask for a moment, then relaxed and gave her a grateful smile. "Yeah," he said quietly, "you know all about this kind of thing, don't you?"

She grimaced, one hand rubbing the cursed seal as she nodded. "Yeah," she said, relaxing and moving back to her seat, "I do."

They were both quiet for a minute, Anko lost in thought and Kuushou studying her silently, then he snorted to himself. "Besides," he said as she looked at him, "it's not like my situation is without its benefits. The level of control and amount of chakra I have to work with allow me to do things most ninja can only dream of," he concluded with a smirk.

Anko snorted in amusement. "Cocky brat," she muttered.

"Oh? You don't think I can back that up?"

She didn't reply, instead shifting forward in her chair as her expression grew serious. "That explains what you did to the bastard's clone and the healing, I guess," she said, "but you left something out."

Kuushou raised an eyebrow curiously.

"How did you find me in the first place?"

He frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"

"You managed to find me almost as quickly as I found the bastard, when you shouldn't have known I was in the forest at all."

"I'm not _that _bad at tracking," he said.

"When you couldn't find the trails of a whole team of _genin_ immediately after that? You expect me to believe that you managed to track me without any trouble, but suddenly became useless when it came time to locate Sasuke?"

He grimaced, cursing internally; his earlier comment about her intelligence seemed especially apt now.

"Talk to me, Blondie. I trust you, and I think I've proven that you can trust me."

He didn't answer immediately, and Anko seemed content to leave him to his thoughts. He hadn't planned on revealing this much, certainly not yet, but she probably already had an idea of just how he'd tracked her down. In fact, attempting to lie to her now could undo all of his efforts and create an entirely different set of problems to deal with. He would just have to take care that she kept the information to herself as much as possible.

"I'm a sensor," he admitted finally.

"There, was that so- … _what?_" she abruptly yelped. The stunned expression on her face confused him.

"What did you think I was going to say?"

"That you had planted a tracking seal on me," she said slowly, her eyes narrowing.

He blinked, then wiped a hand over his face. "That would have been a good excuse, actually," he muttered.

"You _knew_!" she growled, leaping to her feet. "You knew that bastard was there the _whole time_! Why the fuck didn't you say anything?"

"I did, remember?" he countered, rising to stand across from her. "I tried to point him out during the exam."

"You call _that _saying something?" she snarled, breathing heavily. "You could have told us that he was more than just a ringer! We could have prepared for him, alerted the Hokage, ambushed him! We could have _fucking killed him!_" Each point was punctuated by her hands waving in the air, and on the last her hands curled as if she was preparing to strangle someone.

"I didn't know who he was or what he wanted," he snapped, not backing down at all. "For all I knew he _could _have been a ringer if Grass was desperate enough to make a good impression! What would you have had me do?"

"Trusted me!" she yelled. "You could have told me in private and I could have done something from there!"

He cut off his next reply abruptly, drawing in a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "You're right," he said finally. "I could have. Maybe I should have. It's just... _hard _to talk about these things. I've kept it a secret for so long that... I'm sorry."

A lot of the anger seemed to drain out of Anko's frame at his words and tone. She rubbed her hands over her face and let out a sigh. "Look, I get where you're coming from," she said finally, "I do. And you're right too, there's no way you could have known who he really was. Just-" she seemed to struggle for a moment, her hand twitching spasmodically and her body quivering with tension, then she slowly let out a breath. "Just don't keep everything to yourself," she said finally, sounding much calmer.

She moved back to her seat and dropped into it heavily. "Kami, what a day," she muttered tiredly. "Any other exploding tags to drop on me? Any other insane jutsu you can whip out at the drop of a hat? A bloodline, maybe? Secretly the reincarnation of the Fourth, perhaps?"

He startled slightly at the last one, surprised at how close her random example was to the truth.

She caught it.

Her eyes slowly widened as her sharp gaze started studying his features more closely. "You're _shitting _me," she breathed.

Kuushou let out a sharp laugh. "Not the reincarnation, no," he muttered as he fell back into his chair. "Having your father shove a demon in your gut is a hell of a birthday present though, isn't it?"

She let out a dry laugh, her eyes slightly wild as she slumped back in her seat. "Son of the Fourth... Kami, what a mess," she muttered. "How long have you known?"

"Quite a while," he replied, keeping his answer vague; he'd given away quite enough already.

Anko's mouth twitched into a halfhearted smirk. "Something tells me the other Naruto didn't know," she said. "Knowing that little brat, he'd have been shouting it from the rooftops the moment he found out, shoving it in everyone's faces."

Kuushou didn't bother commenting on that, and Anko lapsed into thoughtful silence.

After a few minutes, she slowly stood, shaking her head. "I guess I should be careful what I wish for, huh? If there's anything you need to get off your chest, you can fucking save it for later – I've got quite enough shit on my plate already, thanks."

"You mean you don't want to know about-"

She leveled a glare and a silent snarl at him, releasing a small burst of killing intent as well. "Shove it, Blondie," she snapped, though her face morphed into a wry smirk.

"Consider it shoved," he responded easily, grinning. As she turned toward the doorway, however, he spoke up again. "Before you go, just how much did you tell the Hokage? I imagine they'll want me to submit my own report eventually, but there are certain pieces I'm sure neither of us want going on the official record."

Anko grimaced, then leaned against the nearest wall as she ran a hand over her face. "I covered all the high points, including your little fuck everything technique, everything the bastard said, your rather violent rejection of his offer," she paused, some barely disguised emotion crossing her face as she looked him in the eye before she continued, "and our little trip to check up on the Uchiha. Any... conversations between those two incidents are not mission relevant," she finished firmly.

"And _this_ conversation?"

She hesitated, her mouth opening and closing several times before her mouth twisted into a frown. "You can't keep your ability hidden forever. Besides, having a sensor on hand – and _knowing _about it," she added with a sharp glare, "would be a major advantage for any mission."

"Or it could get me stuck on permanent security duty as I become 'too valuable' to risk. I've already got people after me for my medical training, and only the fact that Konoha has quite a few sealing specialists saves me from similar issues there. All three? I'd never see the outside of the village again.

"Besides," he added in a softer tone when he saw that she didn't seem swayed by that argument, "I'm pretty sure I'm a sensor for the same reason my chakra is purple."

That seemed to bring Anko up short. She studied him in silence for several seconds before one hand rose up to rub her neck over the cursed seal. "Do you realize what you're asking me to do?"

"Yes," he replied simply, and Anko sighed tiredly.

"I'll think about it," was all she said before turning on her heel and leaving without giving him a chance to reply further.

* * *

><p>It was roughly three hours later when he felt someone else approaching his apartment, though this visitor far less welcome than Anko.<p>

Kuushou opened the door, his face carefully neutral as he greeted his guest.

"Shimura-san."

"Yamanaka-chuunin."

Using his "real" name this time, interesting. "Please, come in."

Danzo walked to the couch, moving slowly and thumping his cane onto the floor with each step. He turned and sat, placing the cane across his lap as he perched on the couch. "You have not given me a reply."

"That is true," Kuushou answered, sitting in a chair across from the Elder. He did not allow himself to completely relax, and kept both of his feet firmly planted on the floor, just as Danzo himself had. The room fell silent, each watching the other for any signs of movement or mannerisms that would reveal their thoughts.

"Normally I would consider that a refusal, and a rather rude one at that." Again he left the statement hanging, but Kuushou said nothing.

"In this case, I am inclined to make an exception," Danzo continued, ignoring the brief silence that had filled the room. "You have been quite busy, after all, and you have effectively formed a partnership of sorts with Mitarashi. She is a good choice, quite skilled and focused when it comes to her work."

"I thought so as well."

"However, the job I have in mind will not interfere with your other duties. In fact, it is because you have these duties that it is possible."

Danzo did not continue, and the silence stretched for nearly a minute.

"I'm listening," Kuushou conceded.

"I personally do not believe that Orochimaru infiltrated Konoha solely to apply his Cursed Seal to the Uchiha. The fact that he left the boy behind makes that a certainty in my mind. He has another purpose here, and the Chuunin Exams provide excellent cover under which to operate.

"Various parties have been attempting to trace Orochimaru's movements before his appearance in the Forest of Death. Analysis has shown that he must have killed the team from Grass prior to the start of the first phase, which means that we actually have a thorough account of his whereabouts for approximately seventeen hours prior to the incident.

"Based on that account, Orochimaru managed to personally visit nine shops, four restaurants, and interacted with over six hundred people in some capacity, at least two dozen of which included close physical proximity. The probability that he passed on or received information is high. That he intends to use this information to harm Konoha in some capacity is not probable, but certain."

"And what does this have to do with the job?" Kuushou prompted when Danzo finally trailed off.

"Orochimaru _is_ the job. If, or rather when, he shows up again, I want you to focus on killing him, above and beyond all other considerations. Even if you are not successful, you will at the very least hinder his efforts."

Kuushou blinked, staring at the old man. His expression hadn't changed, his body was perfectly still. Even his chakra was disturbingly calm, far calmer than what most ninja were capable of – it reminded him rather strongly of Itachi, actually.

"You're serious."

"I have seen the _real _report of what happened in the Forest," Danzo said as if that explained everything.

He supposed it did.

"I'm still technically only a chuunin."

"If you accept the job, I will arrange for you to receive a special dispensation for the duration of the exams to operate as my personal assistant. You would effectively be outside the chain of command – excepting the Hokage and the Jounin Commander, of course."

"And you."

"Nominally, yes. I don't have any actual authority to issue official missions, or even order you to do anything. The actual effect would be to prevent other jounin from issuing you orders that would interfere with your mission to assist me."

"And as long as what I'm doing is at your request, it falls under the guidelines of the mission."

"Yes."

It didn't take him very long to make up his mind at that point.

"I accept."

* * *

><p>A few days later – days that had <em>not<em> included a conversation with the Hokage about his abilities – Kuushou was strolling through the tower alongside Anko, heading down to the arena for the end of the second phase when he suddenly stopped in his tracks. Anko took a few more steps before she noticed, and turned to look at him with a curious expression on her face.

"What's up, Blondie?"

Kuushou didn't bother to hide his wide grin or stifle his laughter; his loud cackles echoed throughout the hallway, causing Anko to look at him oddly and pulling attention from everyone within earshot. It took him nearly a minute to get himself under control, and by that time he'd managed to attract a small audience, including Hinata's team and her teacher. He ignored them for the moment, instead focusing on Anko.

"Remember that little talk we had a few days ago, about trust?"

Anko frowned slightly, her eyes darting around to take in the others listening to their conversation.

"Yeah? What of it?"

"There's something else I need to trust you with right about now. I think you'll like it," he added, threatening to burst into laughter again. "I think you'll like it a very much indeed."

Anko's eyes narrowed in confusion for a moment, then widened in shock before a manic grin bloomed on her face. "You mean?"

"Right this very minute."

Her eyes glittered insanely, and she paused to lick her lips for a moment, her tongue darting out as if tasting the air.

"I think there's an old man we need to talk to, don't you?"

Kuushou just grinned wider and followed Anko as she disappeared in a shunshin.

* * *

><p>They tracked the Hokage down quickly and convinced him to meet with them in one of the unused rooms in an upper level of the tower.<p>

"I trust this is important?" the Hokage asked wryly, though he looked more amused than annoyed at the interruption to his schedule.

Anko nodded sharply. "Uzumaki-chuunin has brought some information to my attention that I think you need to hear, Hokage-sama," she said before turning to look at Kuushou expectantly. The Hokage's eyes narrowed when he noted Anko's unusually formal tone, his body tensing slightly.

"Orochimaru is here," Kuushou said simply.

The Hokage blinked for a moment, then his gaze sharpened even further and he straightened, any semblance to the kindly grandfather gone in an instant.

"Where?" he asked, already motioning for his ANBU to step out of the shadows and prepare to take his orders.

Kuushou let his gaze drift to the side, humming thoughtfully. "Right now... he's walking along the second floor corridor, heading towards the balcony of the arena."

The Hokage's eyes narrowed before he turned to one of his ANBU, one wearing a lizard mask. Kuushou felt a small flare of chakra, and wondered what the man was doing for a moment before the ANBU announced, "There are four people in that section of the tower, the three Oto genin and their jounin teacher."

Kuushou focused for a moment, then nodded. "The jounin is Orochimaru."

The Hokage was eying him curiously while the ANBU shook his head. "The jounin's reserves are not nearly large enough; they're below average for his rank, actually."

"A Hyuuga, right?"

The ANBU made no reply, but after a moment the Hokage coughed slightly. "Supposing he was," he said, all but admitting it, "why is that important now? Where are you getting your information, Naruto-kun?"

"I'm going to name the locations of various people in and around the tower, and I want the hypothetical Hyuuga to use his hypothetical Byakugan to hypothetically confirm what I am saying. Maybe then you'll believe what I'm trying to tell you."

The Hokage stared at him for a moment, then glanced at Anko and noted her absolutely serious expression. He nodded.

"There are... thirty-one ninja present in the tower at this moment, with another seven inbound from the forest. There are four ANBU in this room, two more waiting in the hallway, and two more waiting in the arena.

"Sasuke Uchiha is three floors down and roughly forty meters to the north, alone. Sakura Haruno is ten meters away from him, next to Kensuke Ogawa. Kakashi Hatake is thirty meters to their left and walking slowly towards them. Team Kurenai, both teacher and students, just entered the arena and are moving to meet with Team Asuma, who have been waiting in the arena for at least fifteen minutes.

"Am I correct?" Kuushou finished sarcastically.

The ANBU slowly nodded his head. "I can confirm that everything he stated is true, Hokage-sama, both the total count and the locations of specific individuals."

The Hokage studied Kuushou for several seconds before asking quietly, "How did you do that, Naruto-kun?"

Kuushou gave a dramatic sigh before reluctantly saying, "I'm a sensor, Hokage-jii-san."

The room was silent for a moment, then, "And why did you hide this from me, Naruto-kun?" the Hokage asked, sounding saddened and disappointed.

Kuushou shifted uncomfortably, lowering his gaze and looking away. "I... I don't think it's a bloodline, Jii-san," he said softly. "I started picking up bits and pieces after... after the library, and the Kumo incident. I think it's because of this," he added, rubbing his stomach lightly. "I didn't know what was going on at first, then when I figured it out I was scared to tell anyone because of how they might react, and then, after a while, it just... got to be a habit."

"I understand, Naruto-kun," the Hokage said after a few seconds, his tone gentle. "Your situation has never been fair to you, and I can see why you might have been worried or scared by what was happening to you. I'm glad that you are willing to tell me now, when it's truly important, and hope you know that you can share anything else with me as well."

"Thanks, Jii-san," Kuushou said, shooting the Hokage a smile while he internally scoffed at the old man's attempt at guilting him into not hiding any other secrets.

The Hokage drew in a deep breath then dropped his kindly mask once more. "And you are certain that it is Orochimaru you are sensing?"

"Absolutely," Kuushou responded. "I felt his signature during the first phase, though I didn't know who it was until I ran into him in the forest. He's masking it somehow, but it's definitely him."

The Hokage lapsed into thoughtful silence for nearly a minute before he began to speak. "That information doesn't leave this room. You are to inform no one of this, nor are you to reveal our knowledge in any way.

"Naruto, you will continue to track Orochimaru's location and will inform me discreetly if he appears to be leaving the tower. I believe you know ANBU code?" he asked, waiting for Kuushou's nod before continuing. "The signal will be 'swirling tide turns red.' If you can't inform me directly, you are hereby authorized to task any ANBU to deliver that message in your stead. _At no point _are you to allow him to leave your range if you can manage it."

The Hokage didn't wait for him to acknowledge the orders, already turning to Anko. "Anko, you will need to be present to oversee the end of the second phase as the proctor. Once you have turned things over to Hayate, you will leave the arena as soon as you can manage without attracting undue attention and report to the Jounin Commander. Once there you will convey all relevant information about Orochimaru's style and tactics to the ninja participating in this mission, with an emphasis on how to delay and harass him."

Anko nodded sharply, a grin slowly spreading on her face as she realized what the Hokage was planning.

"Chameleon, alert the ANBU Commander and the Jounin Commander immediately – I want an S-rank strike force mobilized and prepped in thirty minutes, ready to move out at my command."

"Hokage-sama," Anko spoke up suddenly, "I would like to request to be part of that strike force."

"Denied," the Hokage said immediately, the word slamming into Anko like a physical blow. His face softened slightly as he took in her reaction. "I understand why you want to take part, Anko-chan, but your recent encounter has already shown that Orochimaru can immobilize you at will; it's simply too dangerous for you to take part directly. Besides," he added, his face growing grim, "this matter is _my _responsibility. I will be seeing to it _personally_."

The Hokage looked around the room for a moment, then nodded. "You have your orders. Move."

* * *

><p>Kuushou watched as the genin who had made it through the second phase lined up in neat rows in the middle of the large arena. Seven full teams had made it, five from Konoha, the single team from Oto – looking heavily wounded – and Gaara's team.<p>

According to what Anko had told him yesterday when the second phase had technically concluded, Gaara's team had taken over one of the key locations the first day – slaughtering the team that had previously occupied it – and easily fended off the few teams stupid enough to attempt to take it from them. None of the three genin from Suna even looked scratched up, nevermind as worn out as some of the Konoha teams or as injured as the Oto team.

Team Gai had secured a location on the second day, layering it so heavily in traps that even some of the chuunin proctors had been hesitant to approach them. It was the other three teams from Konoha that amused him the most, though. According to Anko, they had all been occupying the same location, and had nearly been disqualified before Shikamaru had successfully argued that since there was no _hostile _presence in the area that all of them passed. Even with three teams cooperating for the majority of the second phase – and he was very curious to discover how they managed to make contact with each other in the first place – they still had to fend off quite a few teams who saw them as the easiest prey.

The team from Oto had waited until the final day to make their move on a different location and paid the price, running into an entrenched enemy and nearly failing in their assault. Kabuto's team had supposedly followed a similar strategy, through with more success. The other teams had either lost members or been wiped out entirely, ending their chances to continue.

He wasn't surprised to see that Kabuto had made it through, although he was still wondering why the supposed genin was bothering to take the test. Had he finally gotten tired of faking, or was he after some other goal?

Then Kabuto forfeited, increasing his confusion even further.

Still, that left twenty genin to fill eight slots in the finals, so the proctor for the third phase began the preliminary bouts. Anko had already left, slipping out while the room's attention was focused on the Hokage's speech about the purpose of the Chuunin Exams. Kuushou had to give the Hokage credit – even watching for it, he couldn't see a single sign that the old man was paying more or less attention to the disguised Orochimaru than any other ninja in the room.

At the same time, he found himself wishing that he could follow Anko's lead and slip out of the room. Despite the fact that he had personally trained almost half of the participants, or perhaps because of it, he found the entire process rather boring and the need to "track" Orochimaru offered no distraction since it required no concentration on his part.

So he stood on the balcony along with the other onlookers and watched as Tenten overwhelmed Gaara's teammate Kankuro with the sheer volume of weapons she threw at him, Neji completely decimated the female Oto genin in a matter of seconds, and Hinata effortlessly tore through Kabuto's teammate Misumi Tsurugi.

Then the fourth battle's participants were decided, and he found himself paying closer attention.

"Lee Rock versus Sakura Haruno!"

Normally, he would say that Sakura would lose without much of a fight, but this was actually the kind of scenario he had most focused on during her training. Lee had far more physical strength and speed than she did, but nothing else. She had a powerful advantage in genjutsu and ninjutsu if she could find a way to leverage it.

"Begin!" the proctor called out.

"Lee-kun," Sakura said, adopting a defensive stance but making no further moves. Lee hesitated, bouncing on his feet but allowing her to speak, a curious expression on his face.

"Before we begin, I just want to say that there won't be any hard feelings no matter what happens, ok? I mean, I know you'll probably win, and I might end up in the hospital given how strong and powerful you are, but it's ok."

Kuushou's eyes narrowed as he felt chakra in the air. Was she...

"Sakura-chan," Lee said softly, his eyes widening. He dropped his stance completely, sticking one hand out to give her a thumbs up. "Do not speak of yourself so, my beautiful cherry blossom! You are a wonderful kunoichi as well! We shall both give it our all, and our Flames of Youth shall decide the victor!"

Sakura smiled hesitantly, pulling her hands behind her back and turning sideways bashfully. "Lee-kun..." she muttered, blushing. "You know... you really are a great guy. Maybe... maybe once this is all over, we could, you know... talk sometime?"

Kuushou had to struggle to keep from laughing. She was! Not only that, but she was doing it right in front of his eyes and he didn't even notice!

Lee's face looked suspiciously red and his eyes were becoming a little glazed. "Sakura-chan," he breathed. "That is... I would be delighted! It would be my honor to spend time with you!" His eyes grew even glassier, and his arms dropped until they hung limply from his shoulders. His blush deepened further as he started muttering under his breath.

Sakura walked forward, pulling out a kunai and laying the edge against his throat. Lee didn't react at all, gazing vacantly into the distance with a goofy grin on his face.

"Winner, Sakura Haruno!"

Kuushou burst out laughing as Sakura turned and walked back towards the stairs, putting her kunai away. Lee finally snapped out of it, looking around in confusion before he spotted Sakura leaving the arena floor.

"Sakura-chan... what about our fight?"

"Sorry, Lee," she called back, looking uncomfortable. "No hard feelings, right?"

"You lost," the proctor said, shaking his head and covering his mouth as he coughed. "Better luck next time, kid."

Lee trailed after Sakura, his expression switching between completely lost and vaguely betrayed.

Sakura tensed when Kuushou started walking towards her, glancing at her teammates as if making sure they would support her. She started talking as soon as he was within hearing distance.

"I know I didn't really use anything you taught me but Lee's _way _better than me at taijutsu and faster than me and I knew that if I tried to face him head-on that I would lose so-"

"You act as if I'm upset," Kuushou interrupted, letting his amusement bleed into his voice.

"You aren't?" Sakura asked hesitantly.

Their conversation had drawn the attention of those around them, Sasuke watching the exchange curiously while her other teammate, Kensuke Ogawa, stared at him with... dislike? Kakashi was leaning against the wall nearby, watching the exchange silently while pretending to read his book.

"Not at all. In fact, I wanted to compliment you on your strategy. You revealed a measure of cunning and some skill with genjutsu, but nothing else. Using your supposedly embarrassed reaction to conceal the formation of hand-seals was especially well done, not to mention that most people wouldn't be able to form them backwards like that so quickly."

Sakura gradually relaxed as he spoke, and by the end she was actually smiling in relief. "That's... thank you. For a moment, I thought you were going to go into your skill versus raw power thing again."

Kuushou shook his head. "I never meant to imply that you should never use skill – quite the opposite, really. Skill should usually be the first choice. You seem to have grasped this subconsciously, at least."

"Will Kensuke Ogawa and Shino Aburame please report to the arena floor?"

Kensuke shot a defiant glare at him before turning and walking towards the stairs.

Kuushou watched him go before turning back to Sakura. "Does he have some sort of problem with me? I can't recall even speaking to him since I got here."

Sakura rolled her eyes and huffed in annoyance. "Don't _even _get me started. He's constantly whining about how we should only train with _real _teachers and pestering us about what we worked while we were with you. I didn't really talk with him much in the Academy, but ever since I got stuck on the same team with him he's been even more annoying than Na- uh, this other guy I kno- knew."

Kuushou looked at her with a deadpan expression, and she winced before looking away.

Sasuke stepped into the conversation, giving Sakura a chance to recover from her slip. "He's the only one of the graduates who isn't receiving personal training from you. It didn't bother him at first, but after we all started to rapidly improve and he... didn't, well... Why aren't you training him, anyway? I've wondered about that."

"I'm only training the eight of you because I have extensive personal experience with your skills and what you are capable of. Half the time I'm not training you so much as making you act out what I remember you doing before."

"Really?" Sakura asked, surprised. "I was doing all that?"

"Well, the physical conditioning may be my own addition to the mix."

Sakura blanched while Sasuke snorted in amusement.

Down in the arena, Kensuke seemed to be attempting to launch a fire technique of some sort against Shino, only to have it fizzle out before it properly got started. A few seconds later he collapsed to his knees and then pitched forward, unconscious.

"Winner, Shino Aburame!"

"You don't seem too upset," Kuushou noted.

Sasuke just grunted while Sakura shrugged.

"He should have known better than to take Shino so lightly," she said.

"Maa, let's not be too rough on him," Kakashi said as he entered the conversation. "Kensuke-kun is a promising ninja, he just has his own set of issues to work out, just like the two of you do."

Sasuke grunted again, his eyes narrowed as he stared at something in the distance.

"Maybe now he'll actually train on his own time instead of bitching at us for-"

"Sakura," Kakashi interrupted her.

She shrugged, but didn't finish her sentence.

"Will Gaara and Akado Yoroi please report to the arena floor?" the announcer called out.

The Suna genin disappeared in a swirl of sand, reappearing in the middle of the arena a moment later. The masked Konoha genin moved at a more sedate pace down the stairs, giving time for Gaara to grow visibly impatient at the delay.

"This should be interesting," Kuushou mused aloud.

"Oh?" Kakashi asked. "And why is that?"

"I've heard some interesting things about this Gaara."

"Ah," Kakashi said. "Yes, I suppose you would have."

"What's so special about..." Sakura started to ask, only to trail off as a wave of sand swept across the arena floor and slammed into Yoroi. "Oh," she finished faintly.

Kuushou's eyes narrowed as he studied the powers manifested by the demon sealed within Gaara. The clear connection with earth implied that the demon was one of Ryuudo's ilk, though he'd have to see if it manifested another element before he confirmed that. The focus on sand – which the genin was apparently carrying with him – struck him as odd, though. He'd never run across a demon who used that as their primary attack, although he _did _recall some rather massive dust storms that some of them had kicked off. And against humans and with the quantity that was being slung around, it certainly made an effective enough weapon.

Shrugging off his thoughts for now, he watched as the sand completely encased the struggling Konoha genin. Yoroi appeared to be attempting to shout something, but a gag of sand was preventing him from doing so. Gaara had his right hand stretched out, palm open, and wore a maniacal expression on his face as he stared at his immobilized opponent.

"Win-"

Gaara squeezed his hand shut, and the sand compressed along with it, showering the arena floor in blood and gore.

"-ner, Gaara," the announcer trailed off. Kuushou could make out the frustration on the man's face clearly. Gaara hadn't broken any rules since the match was still technically ongoing, but he had also killed his opponent well after the outcome had been made clear.

Gaara appeared unconcerned at the intense scrutiny he was currently receiving from the many Konoha ninja in the room as he recalled his sand and stored it in the gourd on his back once more. His teammates were far more aware of the situation, and both currently had their backs to the wall, watching Gaara and the rest of the room with equal wariness.

"Why did he do that?" Sakura asked quietly. "He had already won... there was no _point_."

"I imagine killing him _was _the point for him," Kuushou countered. "Look at his teammates. They seem as scared of him as they are of any Konoha reprisals; that should tell you something."

Sakura looked in the direction indicated and slowly nodded, her thoughts clearly turning inward.

There was a short delay as the arena was cleaned up, then, "Will Shikamaru Nara and Sasuke Uchiha please report to the arena floor?"

Kuushou watched as the two genin faced off, trying to use his knowledge of the two to predict the outcome of the match. The two had very different skill sets and styles, but both were also capable of ending the match very quickly if they landed any attacks.

"Begin!"

Kuushou grinned as Sasuke blurred forward, one hand poised to deliver a strong blow, only to suddenly leap away just before he would have made contact with Shikamaru.

"Troublesome..." Shikamaru muttered, reaching up to rub his hand through his hair as the shadows beneath his feet reverted back to mere pools of darkness. "Those eyes of yours are just too much. I don't suppose you would be willing to just surrender?"

"Not a chance," Sasuke called back, beginning to circle around the Nara.

Shikamaru just sighed heavily, staring up at the ceiling of the arena for a moment as if looking for something. Then four small pellets landed at his feet and the arena floor was covered in smoke.

Kakashi hummed thoughtfully to himself as he turned a page in his book, and Kuushou noticed several other jounin around the arena visibly starting to pay more attention to the battle. He could sense Shikamaru's chakra flaring now and again, but never very high and never for long. Based on the sensation, the Nara was creating basic clones and spreading them throughout the arena.

Sasuke was still circling, though he was moving along the arena walls where the smoke was at its thinnest. He was visibly tense, and his gaze was mainly focused downward, watching the tiles for any movement that could indicate Shikamaru was attempting to use his shadow manipulation techniques.

So focused, in fact, that he nearly missed the shadow creeping high along the wall behind him.

It amused Kuushou to no end that it was a complete fluke that he detected the shadow in time. Sakura shouted out encouragement for her teammate, and Sasuke's eyes flicked back towards her at the sound, allowing him to catch sight of the shadow just before it darted towards him. He leapt away, into the thinning cloud of smoke, his head turning and his eyes whirling as he traced the shadow back to its source.

Shikamaru tried to react in time, but Sasuke's superior speed won out and the Nara was thrown across the arena by the force of Sasuke's attack, skidding over the tiles and landing in a heap at the base of the far wall. The Nara was still for a moment, then let out a small groan as he shakily rose to his feet. He looked across the arena at Sasuke, who was already moving towards him with a kunai in each hand, then sighed and raised one hand in the air.

"I surrender," he called out.

"Winner, Sasuke Uchiha," the announcer called out.

There were several bouts left to go, but Kuushou felt Orochimaru leaving the arena, walking at a leisurely pace out into the hallway as if he was just stepping out for a brief moment. It was only when he kept walking, descending the steps to the first floor and heading out of the tower that Kuushou decided he was actually leaving the tower completely.

He casually looked around the arena before he caught the Hokage's eye, and his hand twitched through a series of signs. _Spin. Flow. Change. Red. _After a second, he added another signal: _Follow._

The Hokage made a single handsign in return, covering the movement by adjusting the sleeve of his robe: _Acknowledged._

Kuushou barely noted the next bout – Kiba versus Ino – as he quickly made his excuses and left the arena floor. Kakashi was staring at him, eye narrowed as he flipped another page in his book. His own hand was twitching through signals as he requested information on the current situation.

Kuushou frowned and picked up the pace when he felt Orochimaru moving through the forest rapidly, darting down the stairs and out one of the side entrances to the tower, not even pausing to acknowledge the ANBU who were noting the direction of his pursuit.

He could feel the Hokage leaving the arena as well, Kakashi and Gai accompanying him, and picked up nearly two dozen signatures circling the edge of the forest in groups of four. There was a new signature accompanying the Hokage, a powerful one, but one he didn't recognize - it certainly wasn't human, though. He shrugged; he'd find out what it was soon enough.

As he tracked Orochimaru, he was nearly convinced that the ninja would be out of the forest and heading away from Konoha before the Hokage pulled his assault team together, but the Sannin stopped suddenly as he encountered another signature in the middle of the forest, one that Kuushou knew quite well.

Kabuto Yakushi.

Given that there was no flare of chakra to indicate combat or attempted flight, that Kabuto had somehow made his way from the tower into the middle of the Forest of Death, alone, and the way Kabuto had been hiding his skills so thoroughly, there was really only one conclusion to draw. He paused roughly a kilometer away, pondering this new bit of information and wondering if Kabuto was also a traitor in his own world. He was certainly well-situated to be one, given his close working relationship with Shizune and his nearly complete clearance for medical records and other associated information.

The Hokage appeared next to him, only the slightest flare of chakra accompanying his abrupt entrance. The old man had shed his white robes and hat to reveal the dark clothing he wore underneath. He already had his staff in his hands, and Kuushou was very surprised to find that it was the _staff_, of all things, that was the source of the powerful signature he had felt.

Kakashi and Gai appeared a moment later, along with four squads of ANBU that quickly formed a protective ring around the Hokage.

"Report," the Hokage snapped sharply.

"The target is currently in contact with another ninja, Kabuto Yakushi. As they are not engaged in battle, I believe that Kabuto is working with Orochimaru in some capacity," Kuushou replied, keeping his tone professional.

The Hokage's nostrils flared and his eyes darkened further as he processed that information. Kakashi and Gai exchanged quick glances, both looking as if they had just figured something out.

"Yakushi is hereby designated as a secondary objective, capture preferred. Assume that his combat abilities are at least a rank above what he has shown to date."

"Actually, Hokage-sama," Kuushou said, "Kabuto Yakushi was a Double-A rank med-nin in my world, and his signature is practically identical here."

"I see," Sarutobi said slowly. "Kakashi, Gai, your mission is now to isolate and subdue Kabuto. Everyone else will continue to support me as I engage Orochimaru," he informed the assembled ninja. "Orochimaru remains the primary objective and is to be eliminated by any means necessary. Naruto, you will remain outside of the battle and continue to track his movements to ensure that he does not escape. If you sense the real Orochimaru leaving the area, signal us with a double flare."

Kuushou nodded and remained silent under the Hokage's fierce gaze; it was clear that the Hokage was not going to compromise on that point. He didn't have any particular reason to take part in the battle – no real connection to Orochimaru other than through Anko, no particular concern for the fact that he was a missing-nin from Konoha – but he felt agitated for some reason, a feeling he had little experience with and liked even less. Even as he acknowledged it, he knew that Orochimaru was not the source.

It didn't stop him from imagining the look on the ninja's face as his body was torn apart from the inside out, though.

Before he could think on that any further, his attention was drawn back to the surrounding ninja.

The Hokage's grip tightened on his staff as he drew in a deep breath. "On my signal, we move to engage," he said, his eyes slowly panning across the forms of his ninja. He expelled his breath sharply, hefting the staff in both hands and snapped, "Now."

* * *

><p>Kuushou had spent over a decade studying the ninja of Konoha, learning their habits, their techniques, their tactics, even their way of thinking. He had observed, remotely and in person, spars between ninja of all levels, had seen them striving to perfect their skills, even seen some of them experimenting with radically different methods of combat.<p>

He had used the ANBU spars he had sensed while living in ANBU headquarters as a baseline for what the best ninja would be capable of, extrapolating from those practice sessions to estimate what they could do at full strength.

It hadn't occurred to him until this moment that ANBU could be completely outclassed.

The Hokage covered the distance to Orochimaru in less the a second, his chakra flaring higher than anything he had ever felt from the man in either world, all of it skillfully directed for maximum efficiency and effect. From this distance the man's signature felt more like a whirlwind as he launched attacks so quickly that Kuushou couldn't distinguish where one ended and the next began.

For all of that, Orochimaru's response came without a moment's hesitation or delay. His chakra flared even higher than the Hokage's as he dropped all restraints, and dozens of clones and decoys filled the clearing, the Sannin switching between them rapidly as he evaded the Hokage's strikes. While his reaction may have saved him from the initial assault, Kuushou got the sense that the man was purely on the defensive.

The ANBU entered the clearing a moment later, quickly dividing into groups as they isolated and destroyed the clones almost as quickly as they were created. Kakashi and Gai deliberately hung back for a moment, gauging the progress of the battle and choosing their moment to engage Kabuto.

That moment soon arrived as Kabuto sought to flee, lashing out with dense projections of chakra at the nearest ANBU before he darted towards the edge of the clearing. Unlike Orochimaru, he failed to react to the incoming strike and was launched through the forest by one of Gai's spinning kicks.

Kuushou focused on the battle between Orochimaru and Sarutobi, trying to distinguish specific techniques or anything that he might be able to make use of. Both of them had chakra flooding their bodies, concentrations shifting abruptly and seemingly randomly; yet, as he continued to observe, he could make out subtle patterns within those shifts, a certain rhythm in the way the chakra moved.

Then Orochimaru and Sarutobi separated slightly, the traitorous ninja thrown backwards by a strong blow, and the Sannin was suddenly no longer in the clearing.

This must have been the technique the ninja had used to escape from their encounter in the forest, Kuushou mused. Even watching as carefully as he had been the transition of build-up to activation was almost impossible to catch, though he could definitely say that the technique consumed far more power than anything else the Sannin had done.

Kuushou flared his chakra twice as he began pursuing Orochimaru, pushing chakra and youki to his legs and diverting some of his attention to comparing what he was doing to what the Hokage and Orochimaru had done. He certainly had far more chakra at his disposal and easily eclipsed the concentrations they had achieved, but comparing them now it was clear that his results were far less than theirs.

The Hokage peeled off, moving quickly to catch up to him, and the ANBU finished off the remaining clones before following suit.

"Where?" the Hokage asked, panting slightly. It obviously wasn't from the effort of running, however, as the old man caught up with him in moments and was easily matching his pace.

"Two kilometers that way," Kuushou said, pointing, "and gaining ground. He-"

His next words were cutoff as the Hokage grabbed his shoulder and the world lurched. He stumbled for a moment, then shifted his hand to point a little ahead and to the left. "One ki-"

Another lurch, and then the Hokage disappeared, without him this time, as he intercepted Orochimaru once again.

There was another flurried exchange before Orochimaru used that technique – Kuushou almost caught the buildup this time – and opened the distance once more.

The Hokage was at his side almost the moment he finished flaring his chakra the first time, not even bothering to voice his question. Kuushou's gaze was focused on Orochimaru's location, but before he raised his hand the ninja released a massive surge of chakra and a new presence entered the battlefield.

"Damn," the Hokage growled, frowning. "Manda will be difficult to deal with."

The new presence – one that the Hokage apparently connected with that surge of chakra, since the old man wasn't a sensor himself – began heading towards the tower in the middle of the forest while Orochimaru once again sped off in the opposite direction.

"He's moving again, and this Manda is heading towards the tower."

The Hokage's face looked positively murderous at that news and his grip tightened on the staff, but other than that he gave no sign of his agitation. After a moment, he created two clones – clones which Kuushou was surprised to find had the _exact_ same signature as the Hokage himself - that tickled something in his memory, but he couldn't quite come up with it. The clones sped off, one towards the tower and the other back the way they had come, then the Hokage turned back to him.

"Orochimaru," he said tersely, and Kuushou nodded and pointed in the ninja's direction, setting aside his study of the unusual clones for later.

Three more bursts of movement and the Hokage was assaulting Orochimaru once more, his signature sharper and practically oozing killing intent. In contrast, Orochimaru's signature was faltering, likely due to the massive amounts of chakra he had expended in such a short time and his mounting confusion as to how the Hokage continued to track him down.

Orochimaru used his escape technique again, then again, then a third time in rapid succession, taking him nearly to the limits of Kuushou's range before he continued to flee under his own power. That also gave Kuushou enough information that he could accurately predict the distance and direction Orochimaru would move in when he used it. With that in mind, he began moving in that direction even as the Hokage joined him once again. He spoke up before the Hokage could grab his shoulder.

"I've figured out when he's going to use that escape technique," he said quickly. He then frowned, feeling Orochimaru's signature starting to fade with distance. "That way," he said, pointing.

The Hokage grabbed him and shifted them again, bringing Orochimaru comfortably in range again.

"How?" the Hokage asked as they resumed running.

"He does something to the ground under his feet just before he disappears."

The Hokage frowned and shook his head as they leapt over the barrier surrounding the Forest of Death and entered the thinner forest that surrounded Konoha. Orochimaru had picked up speed slightly, but it seemed like he was making an effort to avoid any areas that were likely to contain ninja or even civilians. "That doesn't help me, Naruto-kun. I can't sense chakra like you can."

"You don't have to."

"You aren't ready for this kind of fight, Naruto-kun, and I can't maintain my attack on Orochimaru while protecting you."

Kuushou smirked and shook his head. "I wasn't thinking of fighting him. I just need to get close enough to stop him from using that technique." He used a henge, altering his appearance to that of a man he'd seen often, though his form was covered by a dark uniform and his face covered with a stylized dragon mask. "What do you think he's going to do when the ANBU Commander shows up to support you?"

The Hokage, mouth half-open to reiterate his refusal, paused and considered.

"That's a very small window, Naruto-kun, and it would still be dangerous."

"More dangerous than allowing Orochimaru to get away?"

"That is not your-"

"Hiruzen," a voice suddenly said out of nowhere, and Kuushou's eyes narrowed as he realized it was coming from the staff in the Hokage's hands. "Without the boy's help Orochimaru would have already escaped. You cannot do this alone."

What _was _that thing? And why was the Hokage actually listening to its advice?

The Hokage sighed, looking old and tired for a moment before his face firmed and he nodded.

"Very well."

* * *

><p>Kuushou began moving the moment the Hokage disappeared to engage Orochimaru once again, approaching carefully and silently. It took several seconds before Orochimaru was in sight, and he studied the man's form as he moved into position.<p>

The ninja had clearly taken considerable damage; his clothing was ripped and torn and there was barely an inch of his body that wasn't covered in blood and dirt. Despite the evidence of the damage he had taken, however, the man himself showed no sign of it. There were no bruises, no broken bones, no wounds where the bloodstains clearly indicated there should be.

The man was now wielding a sword he had procured from somewhere, the blade whipping through the air as he tried to counter the Hokage's attacks. This close, Kuushou could pick out the faint chakra signature that the sword emitted, though it was almost completely covered by Orochimaru's as he pumped his own into the blade.

As he moved closer, the Hokage spun his staff expertly, one end breaking through Orochimaru's guard and sending the arm holding the sword out wide, the other end already closing in to deliver a crushing blow to his ribs.

Orochimaru spun and somehow managed to parry, his blade singing through the air as it slipped through the narrow gap between his body and the staff and diverted the attack. The harsh screech of metal on metal rang through the clearing as the weapons struggled against one another, then the Hokage pulled his staff back slightly before sending it forward again in a series of lightning fast jabs, the tip disappearing from sight as it moved.

Kuushou saw his opening and performed a very short-range shunshin, appearing to the right and slightly behind the Hokage, his hands raised in a tiger seal as if preparing to unleash a ninjutsu. His youki was already pouring into the ground, spreading rapidly and saturating the earth beneath Orochimaru's feet.

"Hokage-sama," he called out.

Orochimaru's eyes flickered in his direction, widening as the man took in the appearance of the ANBU Commander, and his waning chakra flared as he attempted to use his escape technique.

The Hokage, prepared for this moment, redoubled his assault. The end of his staff swept through the air towards Orochimaru's skull.

Kuushou felt Orochimaru's chakra attempting to flood the ground and rejected it completely, preventing whatever technique he was attempting to use from taking hold.

Orochimaru's eyes widened, stunned, as he realized his technique had failed, then the Hokage's staff made contact with all of the veteran ninja's considerable power behind it.

Kuushou eyed the spray of blood and gore that stretched nearly ten feet, a smirk growing on his face. "Anko's going to kill us, you know. She'd have given her right arm to see that expression on his face."

The Hokage didn't reply, staring down at Orochimaru's decapitated form silently. He didn't seem to be celebrating his victory, though what he _was _feeling was carefully hidden behind a blank mask.

After a few seconds, he turned with a grim smile on his face. "Yamanaka techniques aren't to be used lightly, but for this I might make an exception," he said. His lips quirked in a brief frown before his gaze turned back to Orochimaru's corpse.

Kuushou chuckled for a moment. That sound abruptly cut off when he felt the surge of chakra from Orochimaru's corpse. He'd barely managed to open his mouth to say something when the Hokage slammed into him, the old man's momentum carrying them well away.

"Sensei," came a sibilant hiss from with the headless corpse, the sound filled with rage. The corpse burst open, revealing a large, snake-like form. Where scales would be on a normal animal were instead thousands of small white snakes, and the thing's head was replaced by a mockery of a human face, the shape distorted by enlarged jaws and the mouth filled with dripping fangs.

"Sensei," the thing said again, it's head rearing back as if preparing to strike. "You will _pay_ for this insult."

Sarutobi appeared to be horror-struck for a moment, then his eyes firmed. "Do not call me sensei any longer, abomination," he growled. "I see nothing but a pale mockery of the student I once taught, crying out piteously for someone to end its suffering."

Orochimaru – Kuushou supposed it was still the same being, since the chakra signature had changed little – reared back, his jaws gaping wider and his body coiling as he hissed his rage. Sarutobi didn't hesitate, leaping forward with his staff spinning, the metal weapon slamming into the creature's hide and producing splashes of sickly purple blood as it crushed the myriad snakes that composed Orochimaru's body.

Kuushou hung back, observing the battle for a moment. Despite his larger size and monstrous appearance, Orochimaru's movements were slower and far less coordinated. Sarutobi had little trouble evading the snapping fangs and dodging Orochimaru's attempts at trapping the Hokage within the coils of his body.

On the other hand, despite the considerable amount of ichor the Hokage's attacks were producing, a careful examination showed that the snake was healing just as quickly as the Hokage could damage it. Coupled with the fact that the snake's chakra reserves were actually stable whereas the Hokage's were slowly but noticeably depleting, it meant that despite appearances Orochimaru might actually manage to pull out of this yet.

That just wouldn't do.

As Orochimaru's body stretched out, his fangs once again failing to wound the Hokage, the ground suddenly shifted underneath him and wrapped him in crushing bands. He attempted to wriggle free for a moment, but then spikes erupted from the inside of the stone bands, piercing his body and locking him in place.

His head whipped around to find the one responsible, once more focusing on Kuushou, only to find the ninja – still looking like the ANBU Commander – breathing in deeply, his chest thrust out as his lungs filled with air and one hand poised over his mouth with the thumb and index finger forming a ring.

"Kukuku!" Orochimaru laughed as Kuushou's lungs continued to fill with air. "I am immortal! No pathetic technique will ever stop me!"

As he spoke, the creatures that comprised his body began wriggling free, swarming over the bands of earth as his form collapsed into a mass of writhing snakes. He looked back to the Hokage, only to find that the old man had set aside his staff and formed two clones that had taken up positions around Orochimaru, forming a rough triangle among themselves with Kuushou between the two copies.

Each Sarutobi was also running through a string of hand-signs.

Kuushou finally exhaled, creating a roaring mass of flames that were a pale blue-white. The inferno swept over the mass of snakes, instantly destroying countless hundreds of them. The technique, as large as it was, still wasn't enough to cover all of the snakes as they dispersed, however.

Then the Hokage and his clones launched their techniques in unison and three howling gales sprang into being, all focused on the center of the triangle. The snakes, individually far too small and light to withstand the power of the attack, were picked up and thrown back into the middle of the formation.

Then the wind made contact with Kuushou's flame.

Kuushou had half-expected to be thrown back by the force of the explosion when he realized what Sarutobi was planning, but it seemed the old man had anticipated that as well. Instead of slamming together head-on in the middle of the formation, the winds were all aimed slightly off-center. Each technique met another at an angle and they began to curve, creating a swirling tornado of wind and fire that grew higher and higher, the force of the combined technique contained by the same winds that had created it.

Blocked by the ground below and unable to expand outwards, the roaring flames shot upwards, forming a towering pillar of fire that climbed hundreds of feet into the air, the color gradually shifting from blue to orange as it did so.

Kuushou could still feel Orochimaru's signature, though he could also tell it was fading rapidly as the combined technique ate away at the snake-like being. He continued to breathe out fire long after the air in his lungs had been exhausted, pulling in air from around him to continue to fuel the technique. Most of his effort was focused on making sure that this his youki didn't get pulled too far away; the fire created by the fuel within the inferno wasn't as hot as his chakra-created fire, but it also wasn't restricted by his seal.

Kuushou kept up the flame for nearly a minute, making sure that he couldn't sense any trace of the Sannin's chakra before he finally relented, allowing his technique to die off. The tornado continued to churn for several seconds as the Hokage's technique fed the flames, then he too stopped. They both retreated quickly as the tornado dispersed, tongues of flame lashing out in all directions as the fire sought any source of fuel with which to sustain itself. The grass blackened and the nearby trees burst into flame, but without the massive flow of air feeding it the tornado quickly faded.

The Hokage dispelled his clones, breathing haggardly as sweat poured off of his frame. That last push had taken most of what the old man had left, though that was still more than most ninja would have had to begin with.

Kuushou's lips twitched as he felt dozens of ninja racing towards their position.

"I think they saw that," he observed wryly.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: And thus rings the death knell of canon. **

**One of the reasons this chapter took so long was that the prelims and the month-long lead up to the finals were dragging me down. I've already written versions of that twice, and the third time, while different, was still only half-a-step shy of a canon rehash. **

**Needless to say, I wasn't happy with it.**

**Then I remembered a certain Sannin who snuck in to observe Sasuke during the prelims, and everything fell into place. **

**As I posted on my profile, the next chapter won't be out for a while as I take a break to participate in NaNoWriMo (and, hopefully, build up a bit of buffer for my fanfics as well). **

**Once again, many thanks to the folks on the SB forums who provided feedback and pointed out mistakes for this chapter. **

**As always, thanks for reading and thanks for all the reviews!**


	11. Missing Links

The Konoha ninja closed in quickly, two ANBU stopping at the Hokage's side to check on his condition while four more surrounded Kuushou, wary and on guard. Kakashi and Gai showed up a few seconds later, Gai with three long cuts across his chest and Kakashi with a deep gouge on his headband directly over his eye. Other than that, they seemed none the worse for wear.

Then another ANBU appeared in front of him, this one wearing a dragon mask. Kuushou took a moment to memorize the man's – no, the woman's – chakra signature. He had encountered it before, but had never had a name to go along with it. He also noted that the current Dragon was a solid head shorter than Hizashi had been.

"Dispel the _henge_," came the distorted command.

Kuushou allowed his _henge _to disperse, smirking. There were several muttered exclamations as his form was revealed, though no one said anything further. Dragon studied him for a moment, then gave a sharp nod and turned away to examine the scene of the battle. The Hokage was speaking with another ANBU while a third was scanning him with medical jutsu, something the Hokage bore with ill-concealed annoyance.

"Do you require any assistance, Yamanaka-san?" one of the ANBU asked.

Kuushou waved him off, shaking his head. He then wandered over towards the charred and smoking ground that marked Orochimaru's final resting place, honing in on the small chakra signature he could sense. He stopped before a small mound of ash, crouching down and brushing it away to reveal the hilt of the sword Orochimaru had been wielding.

He picked it up and immediately felt the blade attempting to draw on his chakra reserves. He allowed a small portion to enter the blade, noting how it immediately felt lighter in his hand as he did so. The majority of the chakra in the blade was distributed along the edge, and he dragged the blade along the ground experimentally. The edge cut through the dirt and rocks as if they were water, with not even the slightest sensation of resistance.

"Kusanagi, if I am not mistaken," the Hokage said musingly. "Orochimaru acquired it many years ago, and it has never left his possession since. Grass considers that blade to be a priceless artifact, and they were most displeased to have lost it."

"Is that so?" Kuushou asked mildly. He frowned for a moment when the Hokage held out his hand, but shrugged and surrendered the blade. The Hokage nodded in thanks, eying the sword consideringly for a long moment before finally turning it over to a nearby ANBU. Then his gaze drilled into Kuushou once again.

"Before we go any further, can you confirm that there is no sign of Orochimaru at all?" the Hokage asked intently. "Not even the faintest trace of his chakra?"

"None," Kuushou replied firmly. "You captured all of those snakes with your wind technique, and the fire consumed all of them."

The Hokage nodded, sagging slightly in relief. "Good. After seeing what he had become, I was uncertain that even the combination of our techniques would be sufficient to truly destroy him. What of Kabuto?" he asked next, turning to Kakashi and Gai.

"Captured and in ANBU custody," Kakashi said. "He was _much _more skilled than he let on, but between the two of us he wasn't too much trouble."

"Indeed!" Gai proclaimed. "It is tragic that such youthful skill has fallen to the treacherous wiles of the likes of Orochimaru."

The Hokage nodded, his face grim. "I want Ibiki working on him immediately. And call Inoichi back in as well. If he was as skilled as you say, then he was much more than a simple spy," he said, motioning to an ANBU who sped off to deliver his orders.

"What of Manda?" he asked next. "My clone dispelled before that situation was resolved."

Another ANBU stepped forward, this one wearing a lion mask. "The Snake Summon assaulted the-"

"The _what?_"

All conversation ceased for a moment as Kuushou became the center of attention. He paid no attention to that, however, still focused on what Lion had just said. He _must_ have misheard that.

"Manda, the leader of the Snake Summons," Lion repeated slowly, his curiosity apparent even through his mask and cloak.

"That's-" bullshit, he started to say, but cut himself off. Whatever that presence had been, an Outling it was not. All of the so-called Summons bore the mark of the Outer Realm, an unmistakable tinge in their energy that was completely lacking in this Manda. It just wasn't possible.

"Are you alright, Naruto-kun?" the Hokage asked, his voice filled with concern.

"Fine," Kuushou replied shortly, frowning. After a moment, he realized that he needed to explain his outburst, and said, "I sensed Manda when he appeared, but he didn't feel anything like the Summons I have come across before. I thought he was something different."

The Hokage nodded after a moment, and then motioned for Lion to continue.

"Manda assaulted the Tower," said the ANBU as he resumed his report, "causing significant structural damage to the exterior and collapsing the upper floors. The lower floors are relatively intact, and the arena where the majority of the ninja were gathered sustained only minor damage. ANBU responded quickly and eventually managed to injure the Summon enough that it dispelled. Current casualty estimates are low."

"Good work," the Hokage responded, his eyes trailing back to the scorched area that marked Orochimaru's final stand. "When we return, I want you to take the Sound genin into custody until we can determine if and how they are connected to Orochimaru."

The Hokage quickly gave out further orders, informing everyone to keep the details of what had just occurred a secret until told otherwise, then assigning several teams of ANBU to secure the area and scour it for anything else Orochimaru may have left behind. The rest he dismissed, directing them to return to Konoha before he himself disappeared, only a muttered comment about the other traitor revealing his likely destination.

Kuushou barely registered the words, instead trying to understand how the beings he sensed could be Outlings when they felt nothing like them. Realizing that the other ninja were dispersing and that he had no reason to remain, he decided to head back to the Forest to see if he could examine the supposed Summon's signature more thoroughly, whatever remained of it.

* * *

><p>Kuushou frowned at the trail of destruction that cut through the Forest. It was simple to determine where this Manda had been, but the traces of energy it left behind were already rapidly fading as they dispersed and blended in with the countless miniscule beings that made up the wildlife of the Forest. That in and of itself told him everything he needed to know, however.<p>

Manda, whatever else it may be, was a denizen of this realm and thus _not _an Outling. He didn't know why that unsettled him so, but it did. What did it matter if Outlings weren't really Outlings?

It had nothing to do with him.

* * *

><p>Kuushou eventually returned to the Tower and found the Konoha genin clustered outside, some gawking at the damage while others observed the comings and goings of the higher-ranked ninja, trying to figure out what was going on. The genin from the other villages had been separated and were being blatantly watched by a mix of jounin and ANBU.<p>

Sasuke was the first to notice his return.

"Do _you _know what's going on?" the Uchiha asked as he approached, frustration clear in his voice. "No one will tell us a damn thing."

"Yes," Kuushou answered, nodding solemnly. The other genin perked up at that, drifting closer to hear his reply. He didn't say anything else, however.

After a few seconds, Sasuke closed his eyes and rubbed his temple as if fighting off a headache while Sakura spoke up. "Well?" she asked. "What's going on?"

"I can't tell you."

Sasuke just grunted while some of the others groaned in annoyance. Kuushou noted that Hinata wasn't one of them, and when he caught her eye she briefly activated her Byakugan before nodding her head slightly in his direction.

It seemed someone had been spying on him while he was out and about.

He shook his head slightly in response, and she nodded again. Any further questions were cut short when he sensed Anko blitzing towards the Tower. She burst into the group a moment later and lifted him up by his vest, bringing his head even with her own.

"Is it true?" she asked intently, her eyes wide and an entirely different sort of crazed look on her face. There was no need to ask what she meant.

"Yes."

Her grip shifted as her arms snaked around his back and he suddenly found himself being held tight and twirled around as Anko danced about, giggling loudly and chanting. "Dead, dead, the fucker's dead."

"You can put me down now," Kuushou said. Every ninja in sight had paused to stare at the two of them, and the younger ninjas' reactions varied between shock and envy.

Anko didn't, though she did stop spinning him around. "Fuck that!" she scoffed. "We're celebrating!" With that, she turned and disappeared in a _shunshin_, carrying him with her.

* * *

><p>Kuushou smirked when he heard the weak moan from the couch behind him.<p>

"And here I thought you were the 'Drinking Champion of Konoha' – wasn't your poison resistance supposed to be legendary?"

An arm flopped sideways, the middle finger extended and waving through the air for a moment.

"Your couch sucks," Anko's muffled voice complained.

"Then you should have stayed sober enough to disable the traps on your apartment," Kuushou countered.

"Kurenai's couch is better."

"I wouldn't know."

The room fell silent except for the faint swish of brush on paper and the muffled grumbling from the couch. After a few minutes, Anko managed to haul herself into an upright position and performed a quick inventory, making sure that her limbs were still attached and in the correct places. A few more seconds to straighten out her clothing that had gotten twisted around during the night and she was on her feet.

"Bathroom?" she asked shortly.

"First door on the right."

She walked carefully in that direction, keeping her head very still as she moved. He sensed a few chakra flares, including one he recognized as a medical jutsu designed to flush toxins out of someone's body, then Anko emerged once again, sauntering back into the living room with her hands stuffed in her coat pockets and a smirk on her face.

"Beautiful day, isn't it? Everywhere I look it's like I can see the bastard roasting alive and screaming for mercy." She sniffed and wiped an imaginary tear away from her eye. "It's wonderful," she sighed.

She strolled over to look over his shoulder as he worked. "Whatcha workin' on?"

"I've got a question for you," Kuushou said instead of answering. "Those snakes you keep using... what are they?"

"... Snakes," she replied, sounding confused.

"Are they animals that you have tamed?"

"Hell no," she said, "that would take way too much work. They're Snake Summons; 'bout the only good thing that bastard ever did for me was letting me sign the contract."

Kuushou twitched.

"Could you summon one?"

Anko paused for a moment, then shrugged and nodded. A moment later a small snake appeared in the living room, its triangular head swiveling back and forth and its tongue flickering rapidly as it tasted the air.

"Do you require assistance, Anko-sama?" the snake hissed.

"Blondie here has a question... or something. Fuck if I know."

Kuushou crouched next to the snake, eying it closely as he studied the feel of its energy. Just like with "Manda," there was no evidence of the Outer Realm's influence at all. The snake was also looking at him curiously, rather than doing everything it could to get away from him.

He held out his hand, and the snake slithered around his arm and raised its head until it was looking him in the eye. "What is your question?" it asked.

If he needed any more proof, that would have done it. After all, the snake was in direct contact with his youki and yet showed no sign of pain or discomfort.

"You aren't afraid of me," he stated more than asked.

The snake looked at him for a moment before it began laughing, swaying back and forth as it hissed its amusement.

"You taste strange, human," it said, "but you are hardly something to fear."

"Where are you from?"

"If you seek to gain our contract, you must speak with the its Keeper or travel to our home yourself," the snake said.

"And where would this home be?"

"The area surrounding Ryuuchi Cave, far to the south. If you seek to prove yourself worthy of the Snakes, you must find your way there on your own."

"That's all I needed," Kuushou said, lowering the snake back to the floor.

It looked back at Anko for a moment, then spoke. "Anko-sama, Sousan-sama wishes to speak with you soon, in private."

"Sousan? What does she want with me?"

"I was not told, Anko-sama. I was merely one of those ordered to relay the message to you should we be summoned." Its head dipped low for a moment before it disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Anko stared at the dissipating smoke for a moment, her brow furrowed, then shrugged and turned to him.

"And what was that about?" she asked curiously. "_Afraid _of you? Why would it be afraid of you?"

"Back in my world, the Summons always had a very... negative reaction to my presence," Kuushou explained carefully. "Since your snakes never did that – not to mention that they feel nothing like the Summons I know – I assumed that they were something else entirely. I'm not sure what it means that they're so different from what I expected."

Anko hummed thoughtfully, folding her arms across her stomach and tapping one foot on the floor rhythmically. "Well, some things are bound to be different, right? I mean, you've already pointed out a bunch of things that changed from there to here, so what's one more?

"Anyway," she said, brushing the matter aside as she shifted closer, "back to my original question. What are you working on?"

"Your cursed seal, actually," he replied, turning to grin at her.

She stiffened, her eyes snapping to his as she carefully controlled her reaction. "And?" she asked, her voice carefully neutral.

"Before you get worked up, the containment seals I added are still holding just fine. Then again, now that Orochimaru is dead, you don't need to worry about what happened in the Forest of Death occurring ever again."

Anko's eyes glazed over as a wide grin slowly spread across her face. "Yeah," she sighed happily. "Only wish I could have been there to see it."

Kuushou smirked. "The Hokage _may _have mentioned arranging something with the Yamanaka to share that memory with you."

"Really?" Anko asked, her voice hopeful.

"Really."

"Best Hokage ever." She continued to stare into the distance for a few seconds, then finally turned her gaze back to him. "So what are you doing with the seal now?"

"Well, between my examination of your seal in its complete state and the observations I made regarding Sasuke's seal as it was taking hold, I can say for certain that the underlying mechanics are the same. He appears to have refined his technique somewhat over the years, of course, but it's still the same idea."

"And that means... what?"

Kuushou paused, considering his response. "It means," he said slowly after a few seconds, "that I need to take another look to confirm something."

Anko shrugged, slipping off her coat and pulling the shoulder of her shirt aside as she took a seat on the edge of the couch. "Have at it."

He moved next to her, laying one hand on the seal and focusing. The containment seals he had applied were still holding strong as they successfully siphoned off the chakra necessary for the cursed seal to activate itself, and the second layer kept any chakra but his own from making contact with it. The third, a slight variation on the _Fuuja Houin_ that relied on the bearer's willpower to fuel and sustain it, had actually strengthened considerably in the few short days since he had applied it; Anko was quite serious about keeping the cursed seal under control, something that came as no surprise.

He moved past those seals and made contact with the cursed seal itself, focusing on its physical roots within Anko's body. Her cursed seal had completely subsumed the targeted tenketsu and even altered some of her chakra pathways in the surrounding area, though the progress there was very slow. That was most likely the source of the intermittent pain that Anko had experienced over the years.

He prodded the seal carefully, ready to respond at a moment's notice should it react in ways he had not predicted. It didn't do anything at first, and it took several more tries before it suddenly lashed out, coiling around the small chakra probe he was using and attempting to infect it much like Sasuke's seal had done. He allowed the chakra to find its way back to his body, where it began destroying his flesh and infecting his tenketsu just like before.

It reacted to his counterattack the same way as well, confirming that the seals shared that particular characteristic.

He crushed the invading chakra and observed the seal's reaction. It did not quiet immediately, instead crashing against the barriers he had placed around it. Anko drew in a sharp hiss as her body tensed, and he could actually _see_ the chakra she was pouring into the _Fuuja Houin_. He watched as the cursed seal appeared to probe the barriers around it carefully before finally settling down. Slight flares still occurred seemingly at random, as if the cursed seal was testing for weaknesses.

"What did you just do?" Anko growled, her voice slightly strained. "It's never felt like that before."

"Forced it to react. I needed to make sure of something."

"And now what?"

"Now I need a few days to go over everything."

"And when will it settle down?" she asked through clenched teeth.

"It will taper off before too long. There's no chance it will get through all of those seals."

Anko grunted, one hand rubbing over the seal, then nodded quickly. "Fine. I want to know as soon as you figure out whatever it is you're working on."

"Of course," he replied immediately.

She glanced over at the clock, then sighed. "I've got to be on duty shortly, so I have to head out. There's probably going to be a huge mess to sort out at the Tower, and we still have to finish the prelim bouts. Unless you hear otherwise, meet me at the Tower in two hours."

Kuushou nodded, and Anko began walking towards the entryway. She paused under the doorframe, facing away from him, and cleared her throat.

"I know Hokage-sama is the one who killed him in the end, but- you were- if you hadn't-" she swallowed audibly and roughly cleared her throat again. "Thank you," she said finally, her voice hoarse. She then swiftly left the apartment, slamming the door behind her. Her signature lingered outside his door for a few seconds, then moved down the hall and out of the building at a steady pace.

It was only a few minutes later that an ANBU arrived to summon him to meet with the Hokage.

* * *

><p>Kuushou watched as Inoichi left the Hokage's office, the man looking distracted by something. The counterpart to his adoptive father still spared a smile and a nod for him as he left, though.<p>

"The Hokage will see you now," the secretary called out.

Kuushou walked into the Hokage's office and settled into a seat across from Sarutobi. The old man was cleaning up a few documents from his desk, filing them away in a drawer before turning to face him.

"Thank you for coming, Naruto-kun," he began.

"Of course, Hokage-jii-san," Kuushou replied with a smile.

"We have several topics I would like to cover in this meeting, so let's get right to it. First of all," he said, pulling out a small scroll from another drawer, "this is your official promotion to chuunin. You have already been operating as one for some time, of course, so it doesn't really change anything for you. This, however," he added, pulling out another scroll, "does."

He handed it across the desk to Kuushou, who picked it up and unfurled it curiously. The contents of the scroll were hand-written, and he could still smell the scent of freshly dried ink lingering on the paper.

_By order of the Sandaime Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, Chuunin Naruto Uzumaki is hereby approved to undergo the Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai Qualification Trials effective immediately. All restrictions regarding age, service record, or prior evaluations are hereby waived._

_Signed,_

_Hiruzen Sarutobi_

Kuushou looked up to meet the Hokage's eyes. "You're kidding."

The Hokage met his gaze firmly, no sign of amusement on his face. "I would not joke about this, Naruto-kun."

"You want me to join ANBU."

"Very much so. I would be seriously remiss if I did not make the offer, especially after your showing against Orochimaru. I do not exaggerate when I say that it was only your assistance that allowed me to corner him so effectively and keep him from slipping away once more. You have done your village a great service, and I have every reason to believe that you will be able to do so for many years to come."

"I'm just… surprised that you would offer me such a sensitive position so soon. I know that there are people who are less than happy with the amount of trust you have given me already."

The Hokage sighed.

"You are an intelligent young man, Naruto, and you've shown a maturity well beyond your years, so I will be frank with you. Certain... elements of Konoha have not taken the revelation of your sensory capability well, especially since the abilities you have displayed are far more advanced than any sensor we've ever encountered. The ability to identify individuals accurately by their chakra alone is nearly unheard of, and doing so while they are actively hiding their signature _is _unheard of. They are already using this as proof that you intended to spy upon the village all along."

"So just tell them you knew all along."

Sarutobi slammed his hand onto his desk. "I _should _have known all along! Dammit, Naruto, it's only because of Orochimaru's sheer arrogance that we managed to locate him so quickly after his first assault. If they thought you knew about Orochimaru's presence in Konoha and said nothing they would have done their best to crucify you, and I'd be hard-pressed to stop them!"

The Hokage relaxed, leaning back into his seat and rubbing his temples. "As it is, it's well known that Orochimaru interfered with the exams and escaped. The excuse that you didn't recognize his signature the first time is holding them at bay for now, but it's also given them enough leverage to claim that you need to be paired with a 'more experienced' ninja to best utilize your capabilities."

"Meaning what?" Kuushou pressed.

"Meaning that they want you assigned to Danzo full time. Your agreement to act as his personal assistant for the duration of the exams opened the door for that."

Kuushou's brow furrowed. "How? It should be over at the end of the exams."

"It would be, normally. But Danzo has AAA-rank clearance to Konoha's files, which you do not."

"So?"

The Hokage sighed again. "So Danzo can claim that you used your position as his assistant and your sensory ability to gain access to those records without his permission. He could be reprimanded for allowing those records to get out, but not without forcing me to reprimand everyone above you in the chain of command for doing the same. As you are a chuunin – and a newly promoted one at that – that's essentially the entire ninja force.

"On the other hand, if you agree to become his permanent assistant, he will arrange to give you provisional clearance under his name and drop the matter. If he does, you will be allowed to access anything he can for as long as he allows it."

Kuushou shook his head slowly, wondering if Danzo had come up with this in the last day or if something like this had been in the works for considerably longer.

"But I didn't access any of those documents," Kuushou pointed out.

"And how can you prove that? Normally it would be a given that no chuunin could circumvent the security around such sensitive areas, but you're a sensor and so uniquely suited to doing just that."

"Why does that matter? You know I didn't do any of that."

The Hokage nodded slowly, looking tired. "I do know that, Naruto-kun. But if I simply dismissed the entire matter out of hand, I would be ignoring the laws that this village has operated under for decades. I could still do it, and there have been times in the past where I felt I needed to, but doing so comes at a cost.

"If I play favorites like that, if I unilaterally choose to believe one ninja over another without any sort of evidence or review, then I begin to destroy the very foundation of trust and teamwork this village is built on. There will always be a doubt that I was simply being sentimental, or even worse that I was deceived, and the ninja under my command will begin to lose faith in my judgment.

"As you said, Naruto-kun, I have already made some unpopular decisions regarding you. Those who felt otherwise didn't have any evidence to truly oppose me before. Now they do."

The Hokage fixed him with a disappointed gaze. "After all, Naruto, you have already hidden something from me once. Who's to say you won't do it again?"

"But I told you when it really mattered," Kuushou protested, his irritation growing as the Hokage continued his explanation.

"Did you? If I had known a week ago, the Tower in the Forest of Death might not be undergoing repairs right now. If I had known a week ago, Sasuke Uchiha might not be the newest recipient of the cursed seal." His gaze hardened and grew colder. "If I had known a week ago, we might not have a dozen ninja in the hospital and three in the morgue.

"You want me to make all of this just go away? I could, yes," he said deliberately, "but I won't. Secrets kill, Naruto-kun, and I think it's time you learned that lesson very, very well."

Kuushou knew better than to protest after that. It wasn't the first reprimand he'd had to endure since getting sealed, though it might very well be the harshest. He thought that the fight could just as easily have gone worse if they had intercepted Orochimaru the first time, but he wasn't going to play the "what if" game with the Hokage either. No, it was time to see just how far this would set him back, and whether it would be too far.

"I'm sorry, Hokage-sama," he replied at last, his voice meek.

"Are you hiding anything else, Naruto-kun? If you tell me now, I promise that no further consequences will come to you. If I find out later that there was something else, especially if it costs the lives of yet more of your fellow ninja, I will not be nearly so kind as I have been."

Kuushou pondered for a moment how the Hokage would react if he really _did _tell him everything. He kept his amusement at the thought hidden, however, and instead quietly said, "That was the only thing I've been hiding, Hokage-sama. You know about the effect that seal has on me, and the way the Kyuubi's chakra is mixed with mine. I'm experimenting with some ninjutsu, but none of them are all that effective right now."

The Hokage studied him for nearly a minute before he slowly relaxed. "Very well, Naruto-kun. I'm sorry I had to be so firm with you, but this is part of being a ninja." The Hokage allowed a small smile to play across his face. "I suppose I am a little sentimental at that; if another ninja had done what you did, I would have done much worse."

"I'm sorry I let you down, Hokage-jii-san," Kuushou added, keeping his eyes cast towards the floor. He looked over to the scroll in his hand as if just remembering it was there, and held it up hesitantly. "What does this..."

"That, Naruto-kun, is the only alternative you have to Danzo."

"How?"

"ANBU operate under a different set of rules from normal ninja. The only people they are allowed to report to are other ANBU and myself. Not even the Jounin Commander has any authority over them. In exchange for that power, they are held to a much higher standard and are subject to much harsher punishments due to the sensitivity of their work. ANBU automatically have A-rank clearance, and most of them are aware of specific S-rank secrets that are necessary to perform their duties properly."

"So... if I joined ANBU, Danzo's threat falls apart."

"Exactly. By completing the ANBU trials, you will have _proven _that you can be trusted and simultaneously removed the possibility of assigning you to Danzo permanently," the Hokage said, a small smirk on his face.

Kuushou frowned. "I thought the trials were just tests of skill and knowledge. How does that prove I can be trusted?"

The Hokage shook his head. "There's a lot more to the trials than that. In fact, it would be fair to say that the physical requirements are by far the simplest of the challenges you will face."

Kuushou fell silent, weighing his options in his head. "While it's not what I would necessarily want, I'm not sure I understand why being assigned to Danzo is such a bad thing," he said finally.

The Hokage cleared his throat. "Danzo is... he's a complicated man. He's done a lot of good for Konoha over the years, but his methods are not what I would choose. This is especially true regarding the ninja under his command. When he was an active member of Konoha's forces, he commanded an elite group known as ROOT. The work they did was highly dangerous and sensitive, but even then the attrition rate of the ninja under his command was horrendous.

"Danzo sees ninja as tools, and disposable tools at that. As long as the mission's goal is achieved, any number of losses is considered completely acceptable. The ninja he trained were told that their own lives had no value, and they eventually came to believe it, every one of them. When ROOT was shut down we tried to deprogram them, return them to the general ninja populace.

"None who had been with him longer than a year managed it."

Kuushou blinked at the Hokage's bleak tone.

"What do you-"

"They committed suicide, either directly or indirectly. The longest survived six months in the field before charging straight into a group of enemy ninja, sacrificing himself to kill five of them."

The Hokage shook his head, then fixed Kuushou with a firm stare. "_That_, Naruto-kun, is why I want to keep you away from Danzo. The man ruins ninja, and I have absolutely no desire to see that happen to you."

Kuushou nodded solemnly, meeting the Hokage's gaze and holding it for several seconds. He eventually looked down again, fiddling with the scroll in his lap as if lost in thought.

"How long do I have to make a decision?" Kuushou asked finally. "I'd like to think on this, and maybe we can come up with another option in the meantime."

The Hokage nodded. "The earliest I could arrange for the trials to start would be a few days after the exam. I have bought you a little time by assigning you to the security detail for the rest of the exams. Even Danzo can't argue that your sensor ability wouldn't be incredibly valuable in that area."

"And who will I be working with?"

"You'll be paired with Anko again, though both of you will be reporting to Yamato-jounin, who is working under Hayate Gekko as head of security for the third phase."

Kuushou nodded again. "Thank you, Hokage-jii-san." He stood to leave, assuming the meeting was over.

"There is one other matter to discuss, Naruto-kun, before you go."

"Yes, Hokage-jii-san?" Kuushou asked as he sat back down.

"Inoichi has asked to take another walk through your memories, this time in an effort to identify other potential traitors or spies. Your knowledge of Kabuto Yakushi helped considerably in his capture, as Gai and Kakashi were more prepared for his true skill level. I'm not blaming you for this, Naruto-kun, but if we had paid more attention to the differences between the two worlds we might have caught him even earlier."

"That's fine," Kuushou shrugged. "I'm happy to help in any way I can."

"Thank you, Naruto-kun. I'll let Inoichi know. He should contact you in the next few days."

Kuushou made as if to stand again, and this time the Hokage nodded to him.

"You are dismissed, Naruto-kun."

Kuushou left, passing Shikaku who nodded to him before entering the Hokage's office. He checked the time, noting that it was rapidly closing in on two hours since Anko had left his apartment, and decided to head straight for the Tower.

As he walked, he pondered what had just happened. The way the Hokage presented the situation, Kuushou was supposedly backed into a corner of his own making. He wasn't entirely certain how true that was, but the old man hadn't said anything that rang false the entire time. He'd gathered enough information to know that Danzo and the Council could make the Hokage's life very difficult if they chose to, and it was likely they would find some way to retaliate even if he did take the safe way out and join ANBU.

On the other hand, he had nothing to fear from Danzo's indoctrination and even held a certain amount of appreciation for the man's methods. Rejecting the Hokage's offer would almost certainly sour their relationship, though, which would remove one of the biggest advantages he currently enjoyed.

Both choices were almost certain to disrupt his plans, however. ANBU rarely left the village, and he doubted that Danzo believed in allowing his agents much freedom.

Kuushou nodded to himself as he took to the rooftops and began hopping from building to building. If he didn't find another way out of this mess, his stay in Konoha would soon be coming to an end.

* * *

><p>As Kuushou approached the Tower, he slowed to fully examine the damage the so-called Summon had wrought. On the top half of the Tower, one side was almost completely caved in. He could almost see the snake's body smashing into it before whipping to the side, sweeping walls and rooms away and flinging them out into the forest.<p>

For all of that, it looked like the snake had only managed that single blow, however powerful it might have been. The lower half of the Tower showed almost no damage at all, and teams of genin and chuunin were already hard at work clearing away the fallen sections of stone and wood.

Some distance away from the Tower he could make out a heavily damaged section of the forest. There was evidence of a large creature thrashing about in the form of shattered and uprooted trees and great furrows dug into the ground as well as signs of ninjutsu where the landscape had been burned or scorched or abruptly jutted up into jagged spikes or massive walls.

As he neared the Tower itself, he noticed Anko speaking with the sickly ninja who had been in charge of the preliminary bouts. Anko was gesturing animatedly, a wide grin still plastered on her face, while Hayate just nodded every now and then or coughed into his hand.

There was another ninja standing slightly to the side, watching their conversation with an almost bored expression. He had a pale face and wore an old-fashioned head protector that Kuushou hadn't actually seen before outside of pictures of the previous Hokages. His signature was not one Kuushou was familiar with, either, though he was rapidly becoming used to that.

"Blondie!" Anko called out when she saw him approaching. "About time you got here! Turns out we've got a bit of an odd situation to deal with. The Inuzuka and Yamanaka brats were still fighting when Manda attacked, so their match wasn't settled. That still leaves the Suna chick, the Akimichi, and the two wimps from Sound to sort out too."

The proctor coughed deliberately at that point, then spoke up. "However," he said, "the two Sound genin have been taken into custody since they appear to have had knowledge of yesterday's events."

"Right," Anko nodded. "And I'm trying to convince him that not shuffling up the remaining fights is unfair to the other competitors since the Inuzuka and Yamanaka have had time to prepare strategies for their opponent. Not to mention boring as hell."

Kuushou shrugged. "You've got a point. No one else had time to prepare, though the remaining fighters only had three options for their opponents."

"Exactly!" Anko cried, whirling around to face the proctor again. "Which is why we make them to fight the people they thought were already out of the running!"

Hayate coughed for a few seconds, then sighed. "Very well, I'll allow it." He thought for a moment, then continued, "The Yamanaka will fight the kunoichi from Suna, and the Inuzuka will fight the Akimichi."

"Yes!" Anko crowed victoriously. "Now let's get to it!" She walked over and draped an arm around Kuushou's neck, dragging him with her as she walked into the Tower. "I'm tellin' ya, Blondie, this day just keeps getting better and better."

* * *

><p>"That's bullshit!" Ino cried out after Hayate had announced that she would be fighting Temari.<p>

"What's wrong, little girl?" Temari called out as she made her way down to the arena floor. "Too scared to go up against a _real _ninja?"

They both ignored Kiba's yelp as Ino turned to stare at Temari, a harsh glare on her face. "I'm not the old hag who's still a genin," Ino replied finally as she started down the steps.

Temari's confident smirk didn't falter as she pulled her fan from her back and began stretching. "Whatever you say, _little _girl."

Ino growled lowly in her throat as she stomped the rest of the way down the stairs and stalked onto the arena floor.

Kuushou had taken up a position near the onlookers again while Anko leaned against the wall nearby, and several genin had drifted to his side as they waited. Hinata had been the first, strolling over to take up a position on his left and refusing to move from that spot. Sasuke had followed shortly thereafter, leaning up against the railing and attempting to draw him into a conversation about what had taken place the day before. His current approach was to describe some rumor he had heard and watch Kuushou's reaction in an attempt to gauge how true it was.

"I _also _overheard someone say that Iwa had sent all of their ninja in an attempt to assassinate the Hokage, only to have the Hokage kill most of them with a giant tornado of fire and then send in his ANBU to finish off the rest."

The fiery whirlwind was by far the most common feature of the rumors, which wasn't surprising as it had apparently been visible from Konoha.

"Absolutely true," Kuushou replied, his voice filled with conviction. "It was horrifying to see the aftermath of that, but the salvaging was _amazing_. I've got enough kunai to last me decades now, and all I have to do is wipe off the ashes. I also heard we're going to send a small force to take over Iwa. Personally, I'm hoping to avoid that myself; it sounds rather boring."

Sasuke sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "So now it was was Kiri, Kumo, _and _Iwa, along with Tsunade and Jiraiya of the Sannin arguing about whose Summon is better and or finally 'resolving their tension' – whatever the hell that's supposed to mean – _and_ Orochimaru announcing to the world that he was abandoning his life as a ninja to become a prostitute under the name 'Burning Funnel of Love'." He somehow managed to say all of that without the slightest hint of a smile.

Anko fell over laughing again, one hand clutching her ribs as the other slapped the floor. Kuushou smirked at her, wondering if she was the one who had started that one or just enjoyed hearing it again and again.

He turned back to Sasuke, put on his most honest expression, and said, "Yes."

Sasuke threw up his hands in disgust and finally stopped digging for information. Kuushou could hear Shikamaru muttering "Troublesome," a short distance away, and Kiba snickering to himself while Chouji opened up his second bag of chips.

On the opposite side of the arena, Gaara stood with his eyes fixed steadily on Kuushou's form, as they had been since he first entered the arena. Kuushou felt a surge of anger every time his mind drifted to Suna's jinchuuriki. He had been content to ignore the jinchuuriki when he first became aware of him, but continued exposure was rapidly wearing down his tolerance for the foul thing he contained. He was well aware that Gaara was far from stable and more than a little bloodthirsty as well, so it seemed like only a matter of time before they would come to blows.

"Ready..." Hayate intoned, glancing from side to side. Temari was holding her large fan with a hand on either end, her arms stretched out full length as she twisted her torso side to side. Ino had dropped into a crouch with a kunai in either hand, one finger through the loop at the end of each. "Begin!"

Temari immediately turned her twisting stretch into a spin, the fan partially opening as she swept it low along the floor then abruptly pulled it upwards diagonally. Ino had flung one kunai directly towards Temari and was in the middle of her second step as she began to charge forward when the wave of wind slammed into her, lifting her off her feet and flinging her backwards. Temari was already completing her second full rotation, the fan spreading even wider as she did so.

Ino landed awkwardly but managed to roll back to her feet in time to brace for the second impact. It still knocked her backwards, but she retained enough control to partially dodge the third. The bludgeon of wind clipped her side and sent her stumbling directly into the fourth.

Kuushou studied the technique closely, already discarding the possibility of using it himself even as he appreciated the mechanics of it. The gusts of wind battering Ino were strong but very blunt, easily diverted or broken with the right techniques. He had no doubt Temari could make them sharper if she wanted, but it was the range that was the real limitation for him. The swirls of wind gathering around Temari, on the other hand, were rapidly growing stronger and seemed to promise something much more than what he was currently seeing.

He wondered what a well-placed fire technique would do, both to Temari herself as well as her opponents.

Temari abruptly snapped her fan closed, the wind that had gathered around her bursting outwards in a final blow that was felt even in the balcony as the observing genin were pushed backward and the jounin anchored themselves for a moment. The burst of wind slammed Ino against the wall of the arena with a dull crack, and she dropped bonelessly to the floor to land in a crumpled heap.

Temari pulled out a kunai and flung it in one smooth motion, lodging it in the stone to the right of Ino's head. The implication that it could just as easily have been a few inches to the left was not lost on anyone.

"Winner, Temari!" Hayate called out. He had abandoned the arena himself and was crouched on top of the large statue of the hands that dominated one side of the arena.

Temari placed the fan in its holster on her back with a bored huff, then turned and strolled out of the arena with her head held high and a challenging expression on her face. Behind her several med-nin rushed over to Ino, scanning her over quickly before placing her on a stretcher and carrying her out of the arena.

"I never thought I'd see Ino get tossed around like that," Sakura admitted quietly as she stepped up next to Kuushou. "Still, if Temari hadn't gotten lucky with that first blow..."

"That wasn't luck," Asuma said quietly from where he was standing next to Chouji, a comforting hand on his student's shoulder. "Using a fan like that takes real skill since you can't use hand-seals, and she went out of her way to keep the wind she was creating blunted. She could just as easily have sliced Ino into pieces rather than knocking her out."

His eyes flicked over to Kuushou. "You don't seem too upset, Naruto," he added. "After all, this is the first time one of your students lost."

Kuushou shrugged. "Temari was better. She has several years more experience, after all, and I'm sure Ino will learn from this."

Asuma nodded slowly.

"Will Kiba Inuzuka and Chouji Akimichi please report to the arena floor?" Hayate called out, coughing.

Asuma turned back to his last student. "I'm going to check on Ino, but I expect to see you kicking some Inuzuka ass when I get back, got it?" he said with a wide grin and a wink.

Chouji grunted affirmatively, his fists clenched at his side and a determined expression on his face.

"Good." With that, Asuma disappeared in a _shunshin _and Chouji made his way down to the floor.

The fight that followed lasted much longer, but wasn't nearly as impressive to Kuushou. Both Kiba and Chouji refrained from using their more deadly techniques, and Akamaru was quickly knocked out of the battle by one of Chouji's stray punches. It eventually devolved into a battle of attrition, with Kiba putting his agility to good use as he dodged around Chouji's attacks and nimbly avoided his "Meat Tank" techniques. By the time Asuma returned, a relieved expression on his face, the course of the battle was already clear.

It took another ten minutes before Chouji slowed enough for Kiba to land a series of strong blows, culminating with an arm around Chouji's neck and the Akimichi passing out.

"Winner, Kiba Inuzuka!" Hayate announced.

"Yeah! I told you we could do it, boy!"

With the bouts over, Hayate called all of the genin who had won down to the floor to determine the matches for the third round. Gaara and Temari stood isolated from the Konoha genin, who clearly remembered Gaara's blatant murder yesterday and appeared to resent Temari's dominating showing against one of their own.

Once the numbers had been drawn, Hayate announced the results as he filled in the names for the simple tournament bracket.

"The West Bracket will begin with Neji Hyuuga of Konoha facing Kiba Inuzuka of Konoha. The winner of that bout will face Tenten Higurashi of Konoha in the last bout of the first round. Rounding out the West Bracket will be Sakura Haruno of Konoha against Gaara of Suna. The East Bracket will be Temari of Suna against Shino Aburame of Konoha and Hinata Hyuuga of Konoha against Sasuke Uchiha of Konoha.

"Each match will begin no more than ten minutes following the end of the previous match. If one of the competitors is not in the arena by that time, they will be immediately disqualified. You all have one month before the Finals begin; I suggest you use that time well."

With that, Hayate dismissed the group and disappeared from the arena. The genin milled around a bit, eying their opponents warily before returning to their jounin instructors. Kuushou followed Anko deeper into the Tower where Hayate was meeting with several other ninja to discuss their initial plans for security. The meeting lasted well over an hour, mostly led by the ninja in the old-fashioned headgear who turned out to be the Yamato-jounin he and Anko would be reporting to as part of the security force.

* * *

><p>"Now that that's finally over," Anko groaned as she stretched, twisting and turning as she tried to work out the kinks, "we can get our celebratory dango and sake!"<p>

"Didn't we already do that last night?" Kuushou asked.

Anko gave him a shocked look. "Hell no!" she said firmly. "I paid for last night, so that was _congratulatory_ dango and sake! Obviously, if we're celebrating then _you _are paying."

"Obviously," Kuushou replied, deadpan.

Just as they made it out of the Tower itself and were preparing to start hopping through the trees, Sakura ran up to him. He studied her for a moment, noting her pale skin, shaking hands, and red-rimmed eyes, along with the mixture of terror and rage stamped on her face.

"Train me," she ground out, half-begging and half-demanding.

"I'm already-"

"More," she interrupted. "As much as it takes." Anko remained silent as she leaned against the outside of the Tower, watching the two of them curiously with her arms crossed.

"... As it takes to what?" Kuushou asked.

"To beat Gaara."

"Isn't your sensei-"

Oh, that was _definitely _rage in her eyes. Her trembling increased as her nails dug into her hands and her face flushed. "He told me to forfeit," she spat.

Kuushou paused for a moment before asking, "Did he say why?" It wasn't all that hard to imagine why, really; given what he knew of Gaara and his abilities, he wouldn't give any of the genin even a fifty-fifty chance of surviving a battle with the insane jinchuuriki, much less winning.

Sakura gulped, the rage draining out of her as she looked suddenly uncertain. "He- he said that it was too soon, that I would almost certainly die. He said he would say the same to anyone else that had to face Gaara."

Anko snorted in amusement, shaking her head, and Sakura looked at her for a moment before the rage suddenly returned full force.

"And what do you think?" Kuushou asked, honestly curious.

"I think I've tried too fucking hard for too fucking long and put up with too much _fucking bullshit _to just quit, _Shannaro!_" she snarled, stepping forward and getting face-to-face with him. "I don't care who he is or what he can do! He's just a kid like me, and I. Am. Not. _Weak!_"

Kuushou stared into her eyes, considering his response. It was certainly true that Sakura wasn't as weak as she had been, but the only thing she really had going for her was her nigh-perfect chakra control and her mind. She didn't have Sasuke's or Hinata's obsessive drive propelling her forward, and had only recently shaken off her naive mindset in regards to her own training.

While he was thinking, Anko abruptly entered the conversation.

"Tell me something, Little Miss I'm-Not-Weak. Have you experienced a life or death situation?"

Sakura nodded slowly, looking uncertain again.

"And what did you then, hmm?"

"I..." Sakura trailed off, her gaze dropping to the floor. "I froze." At Anko's condescending expression, she quickly continued, "It didn't happen again! The next time I held my own!"

"Held your own," Anko said slowly, as if tasting the words. "Lemme guess, you're talking about the second phase."

Sakura nodded again.

"The second phase, where you holed up in a secure location with _eight_ other genin and barely managed to hold it long enough to pass. Did you kill anyone?"

"I- I think that some of the genin who attacked us may have-"

"I'm not talking about that, Pinkie!" Anko snapped. "Did _you_, you _personally_, kill anyone? Did you slit their throats and watch their blood pool at their feet while the light faded from their eyes? Did you poison them and listen to their screams of agony as they writhed on the ground? Did you-"

"No!" Sakura choked out, looking green. "No, I didn't kill anyone!"

"Well, the _kid _you're talking about has. He's killed eight genin, kids _just like you_, in the last three days, and the crazy little shit loved every second of it. You saw his match yesterday. He had that genin beat cold and killed him just because he could, because he _wanted to_. You think you're ready to face something like that?" Anko stared into Sakura's eyes for several seconds, then continued in a softer voice. "You aren't. None of you are. Kakashi's right; you should forfeit, and so should anyone else who has to face him."

Sakura sagged, all of the tension draining out of her frame as she hung her head. "So it's pointless, then?" she asked tiredly. "All that training I've been doing hasn't actually changed anything?"

"Them's the breaks, kid," Anko said, not unkindly. "Sometimes shit just doesn't go your way."

"Actually," Kuushou said slowly, causing both of them to look in his direction. "I may have an idea. It's far from a guaranteed win, but it could work. At the very least it will keep Gaara at bay long enough for the proctors to break up the match if you do end up forfeiting.

"And best of all," he added as Sakura looked at him with wide, hopeful eyes, "it's something you are uniquely suited for."

After all, he added to himself, Sakura was right about one thing: even if Gaara was a jinchuuriki, he was still human, and Kuushou knew plenty of ways to kill humans. The fact that it would be that _particular _human only made it all the more interesting.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:  
><strong>

**I may scale back the length of the chapters somewhat in order to more comfortably maintain my posting schedule, so don't expect 10k+ chapters every time moving forward. Other than that, hope you are enjoying the story and I look forward to reading any speculation on just what is going to happen now that Orochimaru is dead and all his plans have started to fall apart.  
><strong>

**Next chapter: Another talk with Danzo and the arrival of Jiraiya. And then there's the matter of training certain genin...  
><strong>

**As always, thanks for reading and thanks for all the reviews!  
><strong>


	12. It's Your Move

"What the fuck are you thinking, Blondie?" Anko snapped as she waved her dango skewer through the air.

Kuushou had sent Sakura away with a firm reminder to show up at their usual training ground at six on the dot the next morning, as well as a warning that he wasn't going to waste his time helping her if she wasn't serious. By the fire burning in her eyes he had no doubt she would be there, though just how long that enthusiasm would last in the face of what he had in mind would be another matter.

"Pinkie's handy with a genjutsu from what I've seen, but if she goes up against that nutjob they'll picking bits of her off the ground for weeks."

"I am well aware of Sakura's abilities," he pointed out, making a quick feint for one of the dango on her plate only to snag the sake bottle instead. The drink didn't do anything for him, but he'd come to enjoy Anko's rather active and confrontational approach to dining. "And that is precisely why I think she can manage what I have in mind."

"And what would that be, exactly? It'd have to be something damn impressive to get through that sand of his."

Kuushou smirked as he waved the empty bottle through the air tauntingly. "On the contrary, my training will do nothing of the sort."

Anko paused, absently stabbing a skewer into the table as she fended off his latest attempt at her dango. "Alright, now you've lost me. You _aren't _training her how to beat Gaara?"

"I'm training her how to _survive_ Gaara. If she can do that, beating him in the exams will be a simple matter. Oh, I wouldn't put any money on her if it was anywhere _but _in the arena, but there's nothing wrong with taking advantage of the terrain."

Her eyes narrowed in thought. "Alright, so what's your plan, then?"

"Sakura has average reserves for her age paired with exceptional chakra control for _any _age. As long as she uses low-cost jutsu, she can keep going for well over an hour without issue, even longer if you factor in breaks and chakra pills."

She nodded impatiently, absently twisting his hand sharply and snagging the dango skewer as he dropped it.

"What she needs most of all is mobility, so that will be my focus."

Anko raised one eyebrow, then blinked in surprise when her teeth clamped down on an empty skewer. She glared at Kuushou as he popped three dango in quick succession into his mouth, grinning at her all the while.

"Mobility? That's it? Just how fast do you expect her to get in the next month?"

Kuushou shook his head. "Fast enough to completely evade Gaara's sand – as long as she maintains a decent distance, anyway."

She had a look of disbelief on her face. "How fast is she now?"

He thought for a moment, then replied, "Tied for slowest with Chouji."

Anko stared at him a moment, then suddenly grinned. "Ah, I get it. You're setting her an impossible task so that when she fails, she'll be willing to forfeit the match because she at least gave it her best shot, right?"

"Not in the least. She's perfectly capable of doing it, it's just a question of how fast she can pick it up. I'll also be testing her balance, situational awareness, and coordination as we go." A feral grin bloomed on his face. "The final test will be me."

She snorted in amusement, though her eyes looked thoughtful. "I can think of a couple of jutsu that might give her that sort of speed temporarily, but I don't think she has the conditioning or reserves to pull them off. Not to mention knowing they exist and knowing how to do them are very different things. Which one did you have in mind?"

"Oh, it's probably not any of the ones you're thinking of. It's just a little trick I picked up recently," he added, smirking.

~ Scene Break ~

Kuushou strolled into the training ground with a small bag tucked under one arm. The sun was just beginning to rise over the forests that surrounded Konoha, and the area was still deeply bathed in shadows and darkness.

Sakura stood in the middle of the clearing ahead, one hand rubbing at her eyes and the other covering a yawn. Despite that, it looked like she'd already been here for some time; she was clearly taken his words to heart. After all, he'd been entirely serious about calling the entire thing off if she missed even one training session without a good reason.

"Before we get started," he called out, startling her, "you need to understand something very, very well. The technique I am about to teach you will do nothing more than help you _survive _against Gaara. It will do nothing to defeat his sand or damage him directly."

Sakura's face quickly twisted into a frown. "What do you mean? I thought you were going to-"

"I fully expect you to win if you master this technique, but the technique itself won't be how you defeat Gaara. All it will do is give you time."

Sakura opened her mouth again, then snapped it shut and settled for nodding sharply.

"What do I need to do?" she asked instead, her gaze focusing on him with surprising intensity.

Kuushou placed the bag on the ground beside him before pulling out a large spool of ribbon. "To begin with, you are going to learn how to dodge this."

As he spoke, the ribbon slowly unwound itself and hovered in the air, coiling in lazy patterns as if it were a snake. He could see the confusion on her face, but she nodded sharply and bent her legs slightly, preparing to move in any direction.

Without another word, the ribbon lanced forward, covering the few feet between them quickly. Sakura shifted to one side, letting the ribbon pass by harmlessly, then yelped when it coiled around her ankle and yanked her off of her feet with surprising strength. She landed on her back, her breath bursting out of her lungs.

"And Gaara just killed you," Kuushou noted as he pulled the ribbon back. "Do you get it yet?"

Sakura pulled herself to her feet, a stubborn expression settling on her face. "I wasn't prepared for that. I'll do better this time."

Kuushou stared at her for a moment, then shrugged. The ribbon darted forward again, and Sakura leapt to the side, turning so she could keep an eye on the ribbon as it shifted course to follow her. Then her eyes widened and her hands reached up to claw at her throat as another ribbon wrapped around her neck and squeezed lightly.

"How about now?" he asked as he released her and pulled both ribbons back. Her eyes followed the trail of the second one, noting how the light green ribbon blended with the grass as it snaked along the ground.

"Again," she said firmly, settling into her stance once more.

She managed to evade both ribbons for several seconds, and even avoided the third that came in from a high angle, but dodged into the fourth and fifth that struck in a pincer attack.

"How about now?" he asked again.

"What do you want me to do?" she growled. "Every time I dodge you just keep adding more and more ribbons!"

"And that's lesson one," Kuushou replied calmly, nodding. "Time is working against you. The longer you give Gaara, the more sand he'll be able to throw at you. Since you are fighting in an enclosed space, he will eventually be able to overwhelm you no matter what you do."

"Which is why I need something to get past his sand!" she yelled, throwing her hands up in the air.

"Wrong. That's why you need to strike in the first few seconds of the battle. After that you just have to survive."

Sakura's brow furrowed again. "And how am I supposed to strike if I can't get past his sand?"

"_You _don't need to get past his sand at all," Kuushou emphasized, shaking his head in annoyance. "Regardless, that is a concern for later. If you can't master this technique, there's no need to worry about that."

Sakura frowned and opened her mouth to say something, but decided against it. Kuushou nodded after a moment, then continued.

"The technique you will use has two parts. First, you will confuse Gaara as to your exact location, which will force him to either focus on one or two clones at a time or attack all of your clones at once. Second, you will move quickly to keep as much distance between the sand and yourself as possible."

Kuushou raised his hand and his form shimmered for a moment before two _bunshin_ appeared standing near him. They all smirked at Sakura and asked at the same time, "Which one is the real me?"

Sakura hesitated for a moment before pointing to the one in the center. "That one."

"Wrong," a voice said into her ear.

She yelped and whirled around before hesitantly reaching out and poking him in the shoulder.

"H-how did you-"

Kuushou shook his head, grinning. "A better question would be 'when'. When did I move, and when did I make the clones?"

Sakura's eyes narrowed as she thought. After a few seconds, she focused back on him. "You made one clone first, then moved, then made the other two clones."

Kuushou raised an eyebrow. "And how did you arrive at that conclusion?"

"The shimmering. It wasn't just to confuse me with the other two _bunshin_, it was to hide the fact that you were already moving."

"Very good," Kuushou said, nodding. "I know you can use the basic clone technique, so you'll be practicing applying it as we go. In any case that's simply a distraction, not part of the core technique. As for the movement... the basis of the technique is very simple," Kuushou began. "You already know tree-walking and water-walking, so you are aware that chakra can be used to anchor you to a surface. I believe I've also made the point that you essentially have perfect traction when using those techniques, yes?"

Sakura nodded slowly, obviously wondering where he was going with this.

"Once you have mastered those techniques, you can then use the chakra you have placed in whatever surface you are standing on for other purposes," he said, looking around. He walked over and stood at the base of a tree at one end of the clearing before pointing to the opposite end.

"With the proper application of chakra, you can even accomplish something like this. Watch closely."

With that, he crouched slightly and focused. He flooded his chakra into the ground, hardening the earth and creating a small line of chakra with his foot at one end. Carefully timing his own movements, he pushed against the earth with the chakra starting at the far end and building momentum until it reached him. At just the right moment, he pushed off while allowing the chakra to accelerate his movement.

One moment he was standing next to Sakura, the next he was flipping through the air to land on the side of the tree, crouching and working quickly to absorb the impact. He wasn't entirely successful, as the bark under his feet shattered and the entire tree shuddered for a moment. He sighed internally, realizing that he had yet again put too much power into the technique; he was improving, but it would still be some time before he could control it properly. Fortunately, his successes – such as when he had first used the technique to get behind Sakura – were beginning to outnumber his failures.

He dropped to the ground and then waved to Sakura, who was alternating between gaping at him and staring at the cracked ground where he had been a moment before.

"What did you see?" he asked as he walked back to join Sakura.

"See? I didn't see anything! One moment you were standing next to me, and the next you were all the way over there!" she exclaimed, gesturing wildly. "What the hell am I supposed to learn from that?"

"That you can't see it happening," he answered, grinning at the annoyed look that crossed her face. "Now then, for the next part of the training we'll need to move to an area with more open space..."

~ Scene Break ~

They had moved to an empty field near one of the rivers that flowed through the training grounds. Kuushou had just finished explaining the process step by step when he noticed the odd look on Sakura's face. "What?"

She hesitated for a moment, then blurted out, "Are you _sure _that's how it works?"

"I just demonstrated it for you, didn't I?" he asked, more amused at the question than anything.

"Well, yeah, but..." she trailed off, then shook her head. "Nevermind."

She still looked distracted, but he decided to press on anyway. "For the first step, I want you to form a line a few inches long, and then practice building momentum from one end to the other. I'll judge your progress based on the effect on the ground at the far end."

Sakura nodded and extended one foot, placing it firmly on the ground as her gaze narrowed in concentration. Kuushou focused on her chakra as she distributed it along the ground, quickly forming the line he had described.

Her first attempts resulted in small puffs of dirt and grass as her chakra collapsed on itself, the energy she had built up falling apart or expelled in another direction entirely. She growled quietly to herself before she knelt and placed both hands on the ground. Before he could say anything she had formed a line between her two hands, and he decided to let her experiment continue; she would need to do it with her feet eventually, but perhaps starting with her hands would help her.

She stared at the ground, small beads of sweat forming on her brow and plastering strands of her pink hair to her forehead. After nearly a minute of silence, the chakra abruptly flared at one end of the line and slammed towards the other end. Sakura jerked her hand back as if stung, but turned to him with a wide smile as she stood.

Kuushou nodded to her. "A good start. Do it like that a few more times, then switch to using one hand."

"Right!" she replied, nodding quickly before kneeling to place both hands on the ground again.

~ Scene Break ~

After finishing Sakura's training session, Kuushou returned to his apartment to find that he once more had an uninvited guest.

"Shimura-san," Kuushou greeted as he paused in the doorway to the living room. His eyes flickered over to where the pale boy, Sai, was kneeling in the corner, his eyes watchful.

Danzo smiled thinly, the faintest quirk at the edge of his lips. "Yamanaka-chuunin," he said with the faintest hint of warmth in his voice. "It is good to see you again."

Kuushou eyed the man for a moment, then slowly nodded. "And you as well," he replied as he walked over and settled into a chair across from Danzo. "I admit that I wasn't expecting to hear from you again after what the Hokage told me."

The smile – if it could even be called that – faded from Danzo's face. "And what do you mean by that, Yamanaka-chuunin?"

"The Hokage informed me of the situation regarding my recently revealed abilities and how _certain people _were taking the fact that I hid them in a rather negative light, yourself chief among them."

"Did he now?" Danzo murmured before shaking his head slightly. "I'm afraid I don't understand, Yamanaka-chuunin. Your performance has exceeded my wildest expectations, and I have nothing but praise for what you have done for this village. Your assistance in the elimination of Orochimaru has removed a grave threat and ensured the peace and safety of Konoha."

Kuushou stared across the room, studying Danzo's face as he tried to figure out what the old man was playing at. It hadn't occurred to him that the Hokage might have been outright lying to him – and he still didn't believe that, really. Hearing Danzo now though made him wonder if the Hokage might not have exaggerated the situation slightly.

"So the fact that I hid my sensor ability doesn't bother you?"

Danzo shook his head slightly. "Only in the sense that I was unable to take advantage of it earlier. I _am _disappointed that you didn't confide in anyone, but secrets are the lifeblood of a ninja – I can hardly fault you for protecting such a powerful advantage."

"I... see," Kuushou said after a moment. "So you aren't pressing to have me assigned to you permanently?"

"I would be quite satisfied with such an arrangement," Danzo said, gesturing with the handle of his cane for emphasis. "However, I find it unlikely that I would be able to keep such a valuable asset for Konoha entirely to myself. In fact, I understand that you have been offered the chance to join ANBU?"

Kuushou nodded slowly as he tried to reconcile what he was hearing now with what the Hokage had told him; had he misunderstood something? There were bits and pieces from what Danzo was saying that matched what the Hokage had said, but the tone was so far apart that they could have been talking about completely different subjects.

"Something may have been mentioned along those lines," he finally replied.

"A wise decision on Sarutobi's part," Danzo said. "A ninja of your caliber would thrive in such an environment, and the experience you gain will be invaluable. Not to mention the obvious benefits to Konoha."

"I haven't actually accepted," Kuushou pointed out, attempting to gauge Danzo's reaction.

The old man just nodded slightly, tapping his cane on the floor thoughtfully. "It is a major decision, but you should seriously consider it. I myself know a thing or two about what it's like in ANBU, and I can assure you that you will not regret it should you join."

"I'm surprised that you would say that, Shimura-san," Kuushou replied. "After all, if I'm in ANBU then I would not be able to take any missions for you."

The point of the cane thudded heavily onto the floor. "Is that what you were told?" Danzo asked, a slight hint of surprise in his voice. "I can assure you that ANBU is _not _that restrictive. It takes priority over all other matters, of course, but most ninja in ANBU publicly take missions as well as a part of their cover. After all, it would be child's play to identify members of ANBU if they simply stopped taking missions and yet remained in the village as ninja.

"In fact, a significant portion of long-term missions are simply there to give ANBU operatives an excuse to drop out of sight for a time. Others accept jobs in sensitive departments where their absence will not be remarked on, or even perform their duties in plain sight as normal ninja or even civilians. The masked ninja who guard the Hokage and handle the more sensitive tasks are only a portion of the group, and that is not the only task ANBU performs."

"... I was not aware of that," Kuushou admitted.

"Not many are, Yamanaka-chuunin, though it's not as if it was a highly-kept secret. Most simply do not think about the inner workings of ANBU; I, on the other hand, spent a great deal of time thinking on such matters before my injuries ended my active career. I did not become an Elder of this village merely by surviving, after all."

Kuushou had to wonder just what it was that Danzo _had _done while he was still active. It was obvious the old man had a great deal of influence within the village – as well as being very well-informed, if he knew about an offer that Kuushou had previously thought to be between himself and the Hokage – but he had never heard a mention of what position, if any, Danzo had held in the past. From what the old man had said so far, Kuushou got the distinct impression that he had been in ANBU himself, and possibly in a position of leadership. The Hokage _had _made mention of a ROOT program, though he had not said it was part of ANBU outright.

"Regardless," Danzo continued, the point of his cane thudding onto the floor again, "the point is that, should you be willing and should circumstances permit, we might find ourselves working together on occasion. Having seen how quickly you get results, I will certainly seek to make that happen as often as possible."

"You speak as though I have already joined ANBU. I haven't even decided to take the trials, much less passed them."

"As if the result was in doubt," Danzo scoffed. "Your physical skills are good enough to pass, and the variety of your techniques and knowledge would be valuable wherever you are assigned. As for the other aspects of the test, I think you have already demonstrated a commitment to this village above and beyond that of most other ninja."

"And if I were to decline ANBU outright?" Kuushou asked pointedly.

Danzo shrugged lightly. "Then I would be more than happy to expand our working relationship. I have a number of tasks that could use a ninja of your talents, after all, and I'm sure that you would find the benefits more than worth the effort involved."

Danzo slowly stood, leaning heavily on the cane and motioning for Sai to precede him out of the room. "Either way, Yamanaka-chuunin, I hope that you will keep in touch. I expect great things from you."

"And you aren't concerned that I might have abused my ability as a sensor to steal secrets from Konoha?" Kuushou called out before Danzo could leave the apartment.

The old man was silent for a moment. "Such a thing is certainly possible, Yamanaka-chuunin," Danzo replied from the hallway, "but if the Hokage trusts you enough to consider bringing you into ANBU, then you must surely be worthy of such a trust. After all, the Hokage is rarely wrong; that's why he's the Hokage."

Kuushou listened as the apartment door closed and remained motionless, tracking the old man's signature as he left the building and began walking towards the center of the village. His thoughts were chaotic as he weighed his previous conversation with the Hokage against the strange discussion he'd just had with Danzo, the man who was supposedly aiming to have him charged with treason.

Danzo was very difficult to read, certainly, but everything he had said was consistent with his previous behavior. In fact, of the two, it was the _Hokage _who had acted aggressively. Both sides had their reasons and explanations, but Kuushou couldn't shake the feeling that he was still missing _something_.

~ Scene Break ~

Kuushou leaned his head to the side, casually sweeping his hand through the chakra string supporting the kunai as it darted past his head. He froze, a wide smile on his face, when he felt the tip of the kunai pressing into the back of his neck.

"Excellent!" he praised. "And how did you manage that?"

Hinata had a smile on her own face as she approached slowly. "I knew you could break the string holding the kunai, so I placed another one behind you to catch it as it fell."

Kuushou looked into her eyes, his grin growing wider. "So you caught a moving object at least twenty feet away from you and had it in a position to kill me before I could take a single step. Yes, you're definitely ready for the next step, and even faster than I had expected."

Hinata's eyes gleamed and she stood straighter as she soaked in the praise.

"Now then, you have a choice to make," he said, causing her to adopt a serious expression. "I can move on to the next technique with the chakra strings, I can teach you the jutsu I promised you now, or we can focus your training on dealing with your opponents in the upcoming exams; the choice is entirely yours."

Hinata thought for a moment before asking, "Would I be able to use the new technique in the exams?"

"Unlikely," Kuushou replied readily. "While powerful, it's not the kind of ability you would want to use on allies."

Hinata nodded at that. "What about the chakra strings?"

"It could be useful, certainly," Kuushou allowed. "Has Kurenai talked about your training yet? You are the only team where all three members made it to the finals, after all."

"Kurenai-sensei is going to continue our group training sessions. She says we'll get enough personal instruction from our families and you and she doesn't want the Chuunin Exams to get in the way of the fact that we're still a team. She'll also spend a little time helping us prepare for all of the other opponents we may face."

"Out of curiosity," Kuushou said slowly, "what did she say about Gaara?"

"She told us to forfeit if we had to face him," Hinata replied immediately, a small frown on her face.

That was pretty much what he'd expected; none of the genin on Team Kurenai were well suited to facing someone like Gaara, since Kiba and Hinata were strongest at melee range and Shino's kikaichuu wouldn't bother Gaara at all. He could give them the same training he was giving Sakura, but he really did think she had the best chance of all of them of mastering it in time - or at all, for that matter. Even Hinata's chakra control wasn't on the same level as Sakura's.

"I may have an idea or two for you, but don't be afraid to forfeit if it comes to that. I'd hate to lose you in a pointless fight against someone like him."

Hinata's eyes widened. "O-Of course," she said after a moment, sounding slightly out of breath. She collected herself after a moment, then asked, "What about Sakura? Doesn't she face him first? What are you going to tell her?"

"Sakura..." Kuushou said slowly, "Sakura specifically requested that I give her additional training after her sensei told her to forfeit. Because she's willing to go that far, I am teaching her something that may be enough to make the difference."

It was easy to see that Hinata was troubled by that. "You think Sakura could beat him where I can't?"

Kuushou immediately shook his head. "That's not it at all. I think in many ways you would have more success against Gaara than Sakura. Sakura, however, has something to prove where you do not."

Hinata relaxed, though she still looked curious. "Are those ideas you were talking about what you're going to teach her?"

"No, I had something different in mind for you. Your Byakugan gives you an advantage when it comes to avoiding his attacks, though your melee-heavy focus is definitely a disadvantage. In the end, he's just not a good opponent for your skills."

"What would you teach me that could help?" Hinata pressed, her eyes narrowed.

Kuushou eyed her for a moment. "We'll get to that later. To start with, what is your plan for dealing with Sasuke?"

"He favors taijutsu whenever possible, an area where I have the advantage," she replied quickly.

"Which he'll know," Kuushou countered. "The Sharingan will also be able to perceive your chakra strings more easily, limiting their effectiveness. How do you plan to get around that?"

Hinata frowned deeply, struggling with herself for a few seconds before quietly admitting, "I don't know."

"That's fine," Kuushou shrugged, "you've still got a month to figure something out. In the meantime, I'll give you a hint to get you started." That said, he pulled out a sewing needle from his pocket and flicked it towards her face. She snatched it out of the air before it could strike her and eyed it curiously.

"What is this supposed to mean?" she asked, confused.

"That's the hint. Once you figure that out, or come up with something viable on your own, we'll work on perfecting it. Tomorrow we'll discuss what to do against Shino if he should win."

He crouched down and picked up several rocks off the ground, weighing each one thoughtfully before placing it in his left hand.

"Now then, it's time to start the next phase of your chakra string training: juggling without hands," he smirked.

~ Scene Break ~

"Alright, Blondie," Anko drawled as she strolled into his apartment. "What've you got?"

Kuushou closed the door and reactivated the privacy seals before following her into the sparsely decorated living room. Even after several months occupying the apartment, he still hadn't bothered to add paintings or knickknacks or anything else to liven it up. Anko didn't seem put off by that at all, but then Anko's "decorations" consisted of discarded clothes and stacks of weapons, so she was perhaps somewhat biased on the issue.

"I've continued studying the seal in my spare time," Kuushou said as he walked into the room, "And I've decided that I know everything I'm going to learn about it short of interrogating Orochimaru or finding his original notes."

Anko tensed up slightly, though she feigned a disinterested air. "Took you long enough. You figure anything out?"

"Quite a bit," Kuushou replied modestly as he walked over to his work table. "For all that the seal is still functional on you, I found several sections that have actually eroded over time. Unconsciously or not, your chakra has actually been attacking the seal ever since you got it; given sufficient time, you may have damaged it enough to deactivate it entirely."

Anko's grinned widely as she nodded sagely. "Yeah, even my chakra hates the fucker; sounds about right."

"Or you could have triggered the fail safe mechanism and flooded your body with enough toxic chakra to wipe out half the village."

Her grin fell and she swallowed thickly. "That won't happen anymore, right?"

"That depends on you," Kuushou answered as he stepped back to lean against the table.

She eyed him warily before making an impatient gesture when he didn't immediately continue.

"Your first option is to do nothing. As I've already proven, the seals containing the cursed seal are more than enough to hold it back. I would have to monitor it, but they will likely halt the damage as well."

"Next," Anko said quickly, giving a small shake of her head.

"The second option is to isolate the cursed seal like I did with Sasuke, setting it up so that it can be cut off completely without too much trouble. It would be considerably more difficult in your case due to the damage caused by the seal already, but it can be done. The benefits in your case are somewhat limited, however."

Anko scowled. "Next."

"As for a third option... I believe I know enough about how the seal works to remove it completely. Before you answer," he said quickly, holding up a head to cut off Anko's response, "that doesn't mean that I know what will happen to you after the seal is removed. You've lived with it for a very long time, and getting rid of it now could have consequences."

"What kind of consequences?"

Kuushou sighed, wiping one hand over his face. "It could damage your chakra network, limiting your ability and possibly crippling you. It could even cause a chain reaction that might result in your death."

"How likely is that?" Anko pressed.

"Not very," he admitted after a moment. "The worst I really expect is that your chakra control will suffer temporarily as you adjust to the changes in your network. And given that-" he cut himself off abruptly, grimacing as he looked away.

As he expected, Anko wasn't about to let that go. "Given what?" she asked. "_Given_ _what_?" she repeated when he didn't answer immediately.

"It doesn't really matter. Knowing about it won't help you."

She leapt to her feet, scowling as she stalked towards him. "Don't give me that crap. If you know something else about the seal, you better tell me right now. I deserve to know what's going on, dammit!"

Kuushou eyed her for a moment, then slowly nodded. "I honestly think you would be happier if you didn't know," he said. "But! If you want me to tell you, I will." She nodded impatiently, so he continued. "I noticed something about Sasuke's cursed seal, and was able to confirm that your seal worked the same way.

"I can't really confirm this either way, you understand, but I did observe a certain level of… well…"

"Dammit, Blondie! Just spit it out!"

"The way the cursed seal reacted was too complex, too refined. The only conclusion I can draw is that, somehow, the cursed seal can think for itself."

He paused as Anko's eyes widened and her breathing began to quicken. The blood slowly drained out of her face as her entire body began to shake, and one trembling hand reached up to cover the mark at the crook of her neck.

"Get it off," she said hoarsely between shallow breaths. Her eyes refocused on his, still wide as she stared at him while barely keeping control of herself. "Get this _fucking _thing off of me." Her nails had started to dig into the flesh around the seal, leaving bloody gouges in her shoulder.

Kuushou bowed slightly then motioned to the far side of the smooth marble table that was currently clear of scrolls and other supplies. "In that case," he said, "Lie down here and I can get started immediately."

Anko was on the table a moment later, her coat cast aside and her head turned to bare the cursed seal fully. Her arms trembled as she physically restrained herself from clawing at the mark further, though her fingernails were still digging into her palms and her entire body was shaking slightly.

"Just relax," Kuushou said smoothly as he began pouring youki-laced chakra into her body. For the best results he would need to smother all traces of Orochimaru's chakra first, then remove the minute amounts of the chemical secreted by the seal, then finally begin unraveling the seal itself.

He was prepared to counter the seal's fail-safes that would inevitably trigger; in fact, the bulk of his time was spent determining just _which _fail-safes he could easily deal with, and which might cause too much damage to Anko when they activated. He'd eventually settled on triggering the poisons and pain-based traps to avoid the one that would turn the seal into a particularly potent exploding tag before immediately detonating.

That was also why he would be putting Anko to sleep and numbing her while he was working; he didn't need her flailing around or panicking while he was ripping out the guts of the seal.

Anko's eyes unfocused and her breathing gradually slowed as he drew her into a deep sleep. Before they drifted completely shut she mustered the energy to mumble one final "Geddit off."

Kuushou allowed his grin to spread on his face as he set to work. Once she had recovered from the shock of that particular revelation, it wouldn't be long before she associated it with the village's decision to take a "wait and see" approach regarding her seal; a decision in marked contrast to the rapid response Sasuke's sealing evoked. Honestly, he couldn't have orchestrated a better confirmation of the seeds of doubt he had planted if he had tried.

He hadn't even needed to say a word – the look in her eye when she noticed the _Fuuja Houin_ on Sasuke had said it all.

~ End Chapter ~

**A/N: Didn't quite make it to Jiraiya this chapter, but next chapter for sure.  
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**As always, thanks for reading and thanks for all the reviews!  
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	13. Mindreaders

Kuushou sat back and watched as Anko awoke, her body shifting from sleep to stilled wakefulness with barely a flicker. He could almost see her assessing her surroundings, attempting to remember where she was and how she had gotten here.

Her wariness didn't last for very long, however, as she quickly opened her eyes and bolted upright, one hand flying up to the crook of her neck. He could see her straining as she attempted to almost turn her head sideways to examine the area where the cursed seal was located.

Or rather, used to be located.

"Here," he said, drawing her attention. Her head snapped over to look at him, and her hand came up just in time to catch the small, hand-held mirror he tossed at her.

She held the mirror up in front of her and just stared into it for several minutes, her face twisting through a variety of emotions as her hand hesitantly poked and prodded at the patch of newly healed and unmarked skin.

"You actually did it," she said wonderingly, still not tearing her eyes away. "Fuck, I even _feel _better than I used to. It's like I've been tired for years and only now got a decent night's sleep," she added wonderingly.

Finally she turned her head to look at him, swallowing thickly. "I... You..." she trailed off, shaking her head.

"Have you noticed any differences in your chakra?" Kuushou asked when she remained silent for several seconds. "There are some significant shifts, especially in your right shoulder."

She looked at him, blinking for a moment before she suddenly burst out laughing. The sound filled the room and echoed throughout the apartment as she rolled off the couch, her hands clutching her ribs as she continued to cackle hysterically.

Kuushou watched in bemusement as she kept laughing for several minutes, the sound beginning to trail off for a moment before rising once again. She finally managed to haul herself to her feet and walked towards him, face flushed and breathing heavily as she panted in between her sudden bouts of humor.

"You..." she said, laying one hand on his shoulder, still laughing. She managed to control herself long enough to level a serious look at him, though her lips kept twitching as if she could break out into wild laughter again at any moment.

"I wanted to be rid of that thing about as much as you want to be rid of _that,_" she told him, her gaze flicking down to his stomach for a moment. "I wouldn't give a flying _fuck _if I could never use chakra again, as long as it's gone.

"As for my chakra... I guess we'll just have to put me through the paces, won't we?" she said lowly, licking her lips.

~ Scene Break ~

"C'mon, Blondie! At least make me work for it" Anko cackled as her palm whipped past his head with less than an inch of room to spare. Her arm twisted, her hand hooking behind his head and jerking sharply, pulling him towards a knee that he barely blocked with his hands.

Kuushou shoved her away and then his hand lashed out, sending a dense ball of air towards her torso that she somehow undulated around, her trenchcoat billowing out behind her as she moved in again, a stiffened finger stabbing into the underside of his arm and settings his nerves on fire.

Kuushou fell back again, studying Anko as he retreated from her attacks. Despite the viciousness she was displaying, she had a wide smile planted on her face and kept bursting into laughter at random moments.

"Kami, I haven't felt this good in _years_," she said out loud as she paused, flexing her muscles for a moment and bouncing on the balls of her feet. Just as abruptly she flowed forward again, gliding across the ground with sinuous grace as she penetrated his guard as if it wasn't even there. Two more jabs with her fingers had his entire body seizing for a moment, and she flipped him into the air while he was still recovering. A sharp kick while he hung in midair sent him a dozen feet away where he bounced back to his feet.

Kuushou had expected her to close in on him again, but a surge of chakra and a puff of smoke revealed that she had decided to switch tactics. He looked across the clearing to see a pair of large snakes, each easily ten feet long and with bodies as thick as his legs, circling around Anko.

"Damn, even that was easier!" she laughed, her grin somehow managing to grow even wider.

"Anko-sama," one of the snakes hissed, raising itself up to look Anko in the eye.

"Nothing serious, boys," she said. "Just make him work for it, maybe a bite or two if you think he's not really trying," she added, smirking.

"Anko-sama," the other snake hissed, also raising up so that it's head was level with hers. Neither made a move to attack him.

Anko's grin faltered as she realized that the snakes had something other than a spar in mind. "Yeah?"

"You have not spoken with Sousan-sama," the first said.

"It is most important that you do so, very soon," the other continued.

Kuushou relaxed his guard and began walking towards them as it became clear that their spar would not be continuing.

"What's so important?" Anko asked, a little defensively.

"We cannot say."

"You must speak with her."

"It must be soon."

"Very soon."

"Alright, alright," Anko said, waving them off. "I get it." She looked around, sizing up the training ground they were in before shaking her head. "This place won't do." She glanced over at Kuushou for a moment, then turned back to the pair of snakes. "Do I need to be alone?"

"It matters not."

"So long as you trust those present."

"Right then," she said, nodding. "You up for a trip to the Forest of Death, Blondie?"

~ Scene Break ~

Anko led him deep into the Forest of Death, finally stopping in a large, wide open clearing far from either the borders of the Forest or the tower that stood in the middle. Her hands rapidly flashed through the handsigns for the summoning technique before she slammed them both on the ground, emitting a much, much larger surge of chakra than she had used to summon the pair of snakes.

A large burst of smoke obscured most of the clearing, but he could immediately feel the presence of the creature she had summoned. It – or she, he supposed – was only somewhat smaller than the Manda that Orochimaru had summoned, and the feeling of her chakra had an odd twist to it that the other Summon had lacked. She still felt nothing like an Outling, however.

The sound of scales sliding across the ground and rubbing against the trees filled the air as the snake coiled around them, her large body dwarfing them and blocking all sight except for the smooth, dark blue scales of the snake and the distant canopy formed by the trees far overhead.

"Anko," the snake hissed as she lowered her head to stare down at them.

"Sousan-sama," Anko replied respectfully. "I apologize for not seeking you out earlier. The last few days have been... eventful."

"So they have... it is because of these events that I have sought you out."

The snake's tongue flicked out, the movement enough to stir up a small wind and ruffle their clothing and hair. Sousan's eyes flicked over to Kuushou then and her head lowered slightly as she studied him.

"This is one of those who destroyed our former Summoner," the snake said sharply. "I can taste his death upon him."

Anko tensed warily. "He was acting in defense of the village," she said quickly.

"Do not fear, Anko," the snake replied, her gaze returning to the tokubetsu jounin. "Our former Summoner had many enemies of his own making. His death was inevitable, despite his aspirations. The Snakes do not seek vengeance for this.

"His demise, however, does concern us. There remain but two names upon the Scroll; your own, and that of another. You possess seniority, but the other was favored by Orochimaru before his death."

Anko's eyes widened, and she swallowed thickly. "You're talking about the next Summoner."

"That is correct," Sousan hissed, her head bobbing slightly. "Manda favors the one known as Kabuto, and has pushed to have him declared the new Summoner. Kabuto has not summoned any of us for a number of days, however, and so Manda has been unable to make it official."

Kuushou snorted softly. Last he knew, Kabuto was under the less than tender care of Torture and Interrogation – that wasn't likely to change any time soon.

"Have you not wondered why your name was never stricken from the Scroll?" Sousan asked softly.

Anko didn't respond immediately, her gaze growing distant. "I always thought it was another way for the bastard to taunt me," she said at length. "He knew I couldn't just abandon my relationship with the Snakes, but every time I summoned one was a reminder of him and what he'd done."

"That is not the case," Sousan replied. "Though he may have desired it; he did not have the power to do so. The contract is with the Snakes as a whole, not with the Summoner, and only the Snakes may break it. Manda sought to have you removed when Kabuto signed the contract, claiming that it was wrong for our summoners to be in conflict with one another and that Orochimaru had chosen a new successor to replace the apprentice who betrayed him – such were his words at the time," Sousan added, seeing Anko's anger flaring.

"Some of us did not agree, however," Sousan continued, "seeing little value in discarding such a useful partner. Enough so that Manda was wary of forcing the issue. And now Orochimaru is dead, his follower missing, and Manda himself lies wounded, recovering from the same battle that cost us our Summoner."

Kuushou couldn't help but grin. "You want to take his place," he guessed.

The snake's eyes flicked over to him again, her tongue flicking in and out rapidly. "_Yes_," she hissed lowly, the sound filled with anticipation. "If I were to secure our newest Summoner where Manda has failed, especially if it were the very one he had wished to spurn, even those who support him would be forced to acknowledge my efforts to strengthen the Snakes."

Her eyes narrowed into slits, her head drawing back slightly as she unconsciously bared her large fangs. "Manda will not – _cannot_ – allow my defiance of his will to pass, but wounded as he is he will not emerge victorious. With Manda's death and the delivery of our new Summoner, _I _shall be the one to lead. Under the guidance of the White Snake Sage, of course," Sousan added a moment later, her tongue flicking in and out rapidly.

Sousan looked back at Anko, who met her gaze with a determined expression. "If you wish to become the Summoner, you need but summon the Keeper of the Contract and assert your claim."

Anko appeared to be deep in thought as her gaze moved over to Kuushou. "What about adding someone to the contract?" she asked slowly.

"You speak of this one, yes?"

"Yeah."

"I have tasted his power, and that alone is tempting. Should you trust in him, I will vouch for him as well," Sousan offered.

Anko turned to face Kuushou, no trace of humor in her expression. "I can't do anything about your seal, Naruto," she said quietly, "but I can offer you this. Orochimaru's ruined the Snakes' reputation in Konoha, but they are _damn _powerful and can support you in many ways. I can't blame you if you don't want to get stuck with yet another stigma, but the choice is yours."

Kuushou put on a serious and thoughtful expression, though his decision was already made. He had seen Anko use her summons to great effect, and they would provide a useful means of circumventing the limitations of his seal. The opportunity to more closely examine them and their differences from the Outlings he was familiar with was not to be passed up either.

A wide grin spread on his face. "How could I possibly refuse that?"

~ Scene Break ~

"Congratulations, Anko," the Keeper said as it eyed the scroll. "The Contract has accepted you as the primary Summoner. I presume the Snakes can expect to be working with Konoha once more, then?"

"Yeah," Anko replied slowly, looking a bit dazed. She reached out and touched her name on the scroll, stroking the jagged letters that spoke of her youth at the time and the excitement she must have felt when she signed the contract. Her hand then trailed down to the next name, Kabuto Yakushi, and tapped it thoughtfully.

"Kabuto hasn't summoned a snake recently because he's currently a prisoner of Konoha, captured at the same time Orochimaru was killed," she said, turning to look at the Keeper.

"I see," the Keeper hissed slowly, its head bobbing thoughtfully. "This is most distressing. I trust you will assure your village that the Snakes hold no ill will against them?"

Anko's expression soured. "That's going to be a little tough, since Manda attacked some of our ninja to provide a distraction for Orochimaru."

"You can assure your Hokage that Manda will not live to see the sun set," Sousan hissed.

The Keeper studiously ignored Sousan's comment, instead focusing on Anko. "Do you have someone in mind as your successor? The Snakes would prefer that the contract never go dormant."

Anko nodded, motioning towards Kuushou. "Blondie here," she said shortly.

The snake's tongue flickered in and out rapidly as it slithered closer, circling him several times. "Excellent," it said at last. "His power is more than sufficient, and he shows no fear of us. He will do well. Sign," the Keeper added, motioning with its head towards the open scroll.

Kuushou shrugged and walked over, cutting open his finger and rapidly writing "Naruto Yamanaka" on the scroll. The blood glowed briefly, giving off a dark purple aura for a moment before the light faded. The name was now a dull blue color, similar to Kabuto's, while Anko's was a brighter hue, standing out clearly among the long list.

All other names on the contract, including Orochimaru's, were black.

The Keeper slithered forward, dipping its nose until it was almost touching the contract and scrutinizing the name Kuushou had written intensely. It looked up at him after a moment, studying him with the same gaze, before it hissed in laughter.

"Yes, you will do well indeed," it said after a few moments. The scroll rolled itself up with a snap and vanished down the snake's throat a moment later. "I wish you a long reign as the Summoner of the Snakes, Anko-san."

With that, the Keeper vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving the two of them alone with Sousan once again.

"Are you aware of the Summoning jutsu, young one?" Sousan asked then. "I suggest you try it out now."

Anko had to demonstrate the handseals for the technique for him so that he could be sure of how to properly manipulate his chakra and youki, but after a few minutes he had performed the technique and summoned his first snake.

The sensation of the technique at work was interesting, to say the least. He had filtered both his body's chakra and his own youki into it, but both vanished without a trace at the same moment the snake had appeared. The snake itself contained no trace of either energy, either, leaving him to wonder just where it had gone. It could have been entirely consumed by the summoning jutsu, but such perfect efficiency was practically impossible to achieve.

The smoke dissipated, revealing a relatively small snake, no more than two feet in length. Its scales were iridescent, shimmering in the patches of light that filtered through the canopy far overhead.

"Sousan-sama, Anko-sama... Naruto-sama," Itami hissed as she scanned her surroundings. "It is good to see you again."

"An interesting choice," Sousan murmured. "Was it your intent to summon Itami, young one?"

"It was," Kuushou replied, still studying the snake he had summoned for any clues as to just how she had arrived and trying to confirm that she truly contained no traces of his own power. "Itami was one of the first snakes I met, and she left quite the impression."

"Yes, _most _interesting," Sousan said. "You have made an excellent choice, Anko," she added. "Summon me one week from today," Sousan commanded then. "Once Manda has been taken care of, we shall have much to discuss, you and I."

"I will," Anko replied firmly, her gaze drifting between the two snakes and Kuushou.

After hearing her reply, Sousan dispelled in a large bust of smoke and Itami followed a moment later. Kuushou paid close attention this time but could still find no indication as to what they were actually doing; they just vanished in an instant, leaving only the same quickly dwindling traces behind that Manda had.

"Well," Anko said, clapping her hands together. "This has been a seriously fucking strange morning. I don't know about you, but I could use something to eat. How does ramen sound? My treat?"

Kuushou eyed Anko carefully. "You're actually going to pay?"

Anko smirked, looping her arm around his neck and beginning to walk back towards the village.

"Don't get used to it."

~ Scene Break ~

"Naruto-san," a masked ANBU called out just as they settled down at Ichiraku's to eat. "The Hokage wishes to see you immediately."

Kuushou turned to look at the messenger curiously. "Did he say what it was about?" He wasn't aware of anything pressing that would lead the Hokage to demand his presence.

"He did not," was all the ANBU said.

"Tough luck, Blondie," Anko said, smirking. "Looks like I'll be enjoying all of this delicious ramen by myself."

Kuushou narrowed his eyes at Anko, pushing a small amount of killing intent into it. Anko's smirk widened as she turned to Ayame.

"I'll have the Deluxe ramen for starters," she ordered smugly.

"_Immediately_, Naruto-san," the ANBU repeated firmly.

"Evil," Kuushou commented to Anko as he turned to walk out of the ramen stand. "You are truly, deeply _evil._"

"He says the sweetest things, you know?" Anko said to Ayame, chuckling to herself.

~ Scene Break ~

"I hope this is actually important, Hokage-jii-san," Kuushou said as he was escorted into the Hokage's office. "Do you know how hard it is to get Anko to pay for _anything_? I'll have to get dango straight from Kami before it happens again at this rate."

The Hokage cleared his throat, his lips twitching slightly. "I'm sorry to hear that, Naruto-kun, but yes, this is important." He motioned to the tall, white-haired man leaning against the wall near the window. Kuushou took in the ninja's appearance, noting the two red lines that started under his eyes and ran down his face as well as the unusual headband that bore the symbol for "oil." Of course, it was the feel of the man's chakra, one of the few signatures that he had memorized despite how rarely he encountered it, that confirmed his identity.

"This is-" the Hokage began.

"The Sage Jiraiya, Seal Master, Summoner of the Toads and one of Konoha's Sannin," Kuushou finished, bowing slightly in a show of respect.

The man's face lit up and he thrust one palm out dramatically. "Indeed!" he cried. "It is I, the man feared in all corners of the world, the man desired by all women and who all men desire to be, the one, the only-"

"That's enough, Jiraiya," Sarutobi said, cutting off the odd dance the man had begun.

"Fine, fine," Jiraiya sighed, shaking his head sadly. "So, I take it you knew me in your world?" he asked, focusing on Kuushou.

"By reputation only," Kuushou answered.

"Right then," Jiraiya said, looking slightly uncomfortable but pushing it aside quickly. "That'll make things a little faster. This is the first chance I've had to return to the village since you arrived, and Sensei has asked me to look over your seal."

Kuushou nodded in agreement. He had guessed that was where this meeting was going as soon as he realized who was waiting in the Hokage's office. In short order he was laid out on the couch with his shirt removed while Jiraiya was leaning over him, poking and prodding at the seal every now and then.

"So I hear you've been studying seal crafting yourself," Jiraiya commented as he worked. "You're coming along nicely, from what Sensei tells me."

"Somewhat," Kuushou allowed while he watched Jiraiya. "I've been limited by the lack of a true teacher in the field – most of what I've picked up has either been rote memorization or highly theoretical."

"That alone will get you far in this field," Jiraiya told him. "The basis of all _fuinjutsu_ is knowing the component parts, after all; without that you can't accomplish much of anything."

"I suppose, but it's still quite limiting when dealing with more advanced seals; the cursed seal Orochimaru gave Anko was incredibly complex compared to what I've seen before that."

"She let you actually look at that?" Jiraiya asked, surprised. "I wouldn't get your hopes up with that, Naruto," Jiraiya said, turning to look at him for a moment. "Orochimaru is- _was _a slippery bastard and quite territorial. I found more traps in that thing than actual functional pieces when I examined it."

"I hope you are being careful, Naruto-kun," the Hokage added from his desk where he was sorting through his paperwork. "The fact that Anko let you examine it shows a great deal of trust on her part. I would hate to see either of you get hurt because you were careless while examining it. I've studied it myself, but knew that it was beyond my own skills to remove and decided to leave well enough alone."

"I was very careful," Kuushou assured them, "though it's a moot point now."

"Well, don't feel too bad about giving up," Jiraiya reassured him. "You're still learning after all, and now that Orochimaru's gone we don't need to worry about him abusing the seals anymore."

Kuushou couldn't resist a small smirk. "Oh, I didn't give up. In fact, the reason Anko was willing to pay for ramen was because I removed the cursed seal last night."

The Hokage spluttered for a moment, almost choking on his pipe, while Jiraiya just looked at him blankly.

"Say what now?" he blurted.

~ Scene Break ~

"_This _is all the information you had to go on?" Jiraiya growled, waving his hand at the documents scattered around Kuushou's living room. "It's thorough, yes, but there's nothing about how you avoided triggering the various traps and fail-safes."

"Oh, that would be because I did trigger them."

Jiraiya stilled for a moment, then he slowly turned to face Kuushou, his muscles visibly tensed. "You did what?"

"Triggered the fail-safes," Kuushou replied easily. He gestured to the large diagram that showed some of the inner workings of the cursed seal. "Specifically fail-safes two through six, eight, and eleven."

"Those are all lethal to the bearer of the cursed seal, even if it was just _one _of them," Jiraiya said quietly, his tone even.

"They could be, sure," Kuushou shrugged. "I prevented that."

"Prevented that _how_?" he bit out.

"By siphoning off the toxins and excising the affected tissue for the most part, though I had to regrow some of Anko's nerves after number eight."

Jiraiya remained quiet for a moment, his breathing rigidly controlled as he slowly unclenched his fists. Then, softly, he spoke. "You did all of that while manipulating the cursed seal, _alone_. If you had made a single mistake, missed so much as a drop of the toxins released, Anko would be dead right now. You just admitted that she still suffered damage!"

He jumped to his feet and began pacing around the room, his face growing red as he started gesturing wildly.

"What made you think that this could possibly be a good idea? How unbelievably arrogant do you have to be to think that you could handle all of that on your own? It's a fucking miracle that she's still alive and you aren't on trial for murder of a fellow ninja! What gave you the right?"

"Anko did," Kuushou replied easily as he met Jiraiya's gaze. "She trusted me with her life, and I delivered. I don't see how anything else enters into consideration."

"You don't- you don't _see_," Jiraiya sputtered before he cut himself off. He drew in several deep breaths, calming himself again, before he continued in a more even tone. "I suppose you're right, as far as that goes. Anko likely would have done anything to get that seal removed, even skirting the edges of death. It's her life, and her choice.

"_You_, on the other hand. Did you perform small scale experiments? Did you verify your approach under controlled conditions? Did you explain to Anko just how risky your plan actually _was_? If I asked her what the worst possible outcome of last night was, what would she say?"

"She'd say she could have died," Kuushou responded easily, folding his arms and leaning back against the marble table. "She'd say she could have been left crippled, unable to use chakra, or anywhere in between. She'd also say that it was worth the risk to be free of that seal."

"And would you have been ok with that?" Jiraiya pressed. "You're spent more time with her than just about anyone in this village since you got here; would you really have been ok with letting her die? Destroying her body, her career as a ninja, or leaving her to suffer in constant agony until someone put her out of her misery?"

Kuushou shook his head. "I didn't go ahead with this because I _thought _I could do it, Jiraiya-san. I went ahead with it because I _knew _I could do it. The proof of that is Anko herself; not only is she free of the seal, but she's feeling better than she has in years.

"So tell me, then. Given that, was I supposed to wait? Run my plans by someone who, even after the task has been completed successfully, still refuses to believe that I could actually do it? Or should I have gone to the person this actually affects and ask her directly what she wants?"

"Dammit, Naruto," Jiraiya sighed, rubbing his hands through his hair. "It's not a question of whether you _could _do it, it's a question of whether you should have! There was no reason to rush through this! And _yes_, for something this risky you _should _have talked with the Hokage at the very least! If you'd waited even a day I could have been here to help you, to assist during the operation, to lend my expertise if something _had _gone wrong."

"Both yourself and the Hokage have already admitted that you gave up on the cursed seal," Kuushou countered, shaking his head. "In all honesty, would you really have allowed the procedure to continue if you'd known about it? Or would you have found some reason to delay or prevent it entirely until you were absolutely convinced it would work?"

Jiraiya reluctantly shook his head. "No, we wouldn't have. There are no guarantees, of course, but I doubt either of us would have ever signed off on the procedure you actually used, not without abundant proof that it at the very least _could _work. Neither of us have the medical background you do, either." He paused, and rubbed his chin. "You studied under Shizune-chan, right?"

Kuushou nodded slowly, confused at the abrupt change in topic.

"And she's the one who taught you those techniques?"

"All of my medical training comes from Shizune-nee-chan and her staff," Kuushou answered.

"Do you think _she _could have performed that operation by herself?"

Ah, so that's what he was after. "Given sufficient knowledge of the seal work involved, yes," Kuushou hedged.

Jiraiya grunted in response before he rubbed his forehead again. "Look, Naruto, it's damn impressive that you pulled that off, I'll give you that. But I've seen where that kind of arrogance – yes, _arrogance_, whether you want to admit it or not – can lead, and it's not anywhere good. I suggest you think long and hard about whether you truly knew what you were getting into or whether you just got damn lucky."

With that, Jiraiya began gathering up the notes, looking through them as he did so.

"There's one other thing you should know," Kuushou said as Jiraiya worked.

"What's that?"

"In my examinations of the seal, especially when it was taking hold within Sasuke, I observed certain types of behavior within the seal's chakra."

Jiraiya frowned thoughtfully, glancing down at the notes. "What kind of behavior?"

"Both immediate and delayed reactions to my attempts to interfere with it, as well as adaptive responses to my efforts."

"That's..."

"Not included anywhere within the cursed seal? I agree. So why then was the seal exhibiting a certain level of intelligence?"

"Are you telling me that you think the seal itself was _thinking_?" Jiraiya asked in disbelief.

Kuushou spread his hands, shrugging. "I'm simply telling you what I observed in Sasuke's seal as well as Anko's. You can confirm it for yourself, if you wish."

Jiraiya nodded distractedly, his thoughts clearly elsewhere. "Why would he..." he muttered to himself. His eyes widened for a moment before his expression darkened. "That would explain quite a bit," he growled, his tone disgusted.

"Explain what?" Kuushou asked.

Jiraiya shook his head, frowning. "Let's just say that you might be on to something," he replied before quickly turning and leaving the apartment.

~ Scene Break ~

"Thank you for agreeing to do this, Naruto-kun," Inoichi said a few days later as he motioned Kuushou to enter the house. "Your assistance could help us uncover other spies like Kabuto."

"Of course," Kuushou replied as he scanned the entry hall. For the most part it was the same home he had lived in for most of his time in Konoha, but it was the little details that showed just how different it was.

He wasn't in any of the pictures, of course, but some of the awards Ino had won during her time in the Academy were conspicuously absent, and the hand-made clock Inoichi had bought during a trip to Water Country was missing as well. Curiously, a much younger Sakura and Ino appeared together in several frames, their arms wrapped around each other's shoulders and wide smiles on their faces.

Inoichi was silent while Kuushou examined the pictures, but after a while he cleared his throat. "My office is this way, if you'd like to get started now. I was actually hoping to finish up in time for lunch. Kiku was planning to make ramen, I believe."

Kuushou turned to look at Inoichi, then nodded slowly. "I'd like that."

With a smile, Inoichi led him down the hallway and into the small office situated beside the living room. Once the door was locked and they had both settled into their chairs, Inoichi cleared his throat.

"As I'm sure you know, there are many different ways to scan memories. The technique I will be using is designed to stimulate the target's memory to pull out as many details as possible. It works best with your active cooperation, so I will be naming topics or people that I would like you to think about. It doesn't matter what or how you think about them, as long as your thoughts stay on that topic."

At Kuushou's nod, he drew in a deep breath and raised his hands before him. "Are you ready?"

"Yes."

"First, I would like you to think about Kabuto Yakushi." With that, his hands flipped through a rapid series of hand-seals and then he slumped back into his chair.

~ Scene Break ~

Kuushou once more observed as Inoichi wandered through his mindscape. The Yamanaka was moving much more slowly this time, scanning around as if looking for something and then approaching certain memories. It seemed as if he spent just as much time in the mindscape itself as he did inside the memories, but then Kuushou had already seen firsthand just how rapidly the experienced ninja could sort through information.

After a few minutes, Inoichi abruptly stopped moving, a look of surprise filtering across his face. He slowly turned in a circle, his obvious bewilderment growing for no reason that Kuushou could see.

"How..." Inoichi said slowly under his breath. He walked over to a seemingly random set of memories, but rather than entering one he simply looked over all of them and the area around them. He repeated this several times, his expression turning pensive.

Kuushou didn't know what to make of that. He knew he had kept his mindscape up to date, especially knowing that Inoichi would be taking another walk through it. All of the memories were grouped properly as Ino had indicated they should be, and he had long since mastered how to edit them seamlessly under Ino's guidance. Frankly, other than the incident with the Forbidden Scroll there was very little he had needed to edit since coming to this world in any case.

Inoichi abruptly vanished, and Kuushou returned his attention to the real world, where the Yamanaka was straightening in his seat with a thoughtful expression.

"Kabuto really was quite skilled, wasn't he?" he said musingly, giving no sign of whatever it was he had realized. "It's also interesting to see Tsunade-sama's apprentice at work; it makes me wonder just how skilled the teacher must be."

He shook himself and refocused. "Next, I would like you to suggest something. Where have you noticed the largest changes in Konoha? What people are involved in those changes?"

Kuushou eyes wandered over the office as he thought. "For people I personally interacted with, I would have to say either the Hyuuga or the Uchiha."

Inoichi sighed and nodded. "Well, examining the Uchiha wouldn't do us much good right now, so we'll start with the Hyuuga."

~Scene Break~

The session lasted for two hours total and covered each of the major clans in Konoha, including the Uchiha. Inoichi said very little about what he observed, though he took a full thirty minutes when examining the memories related to his own clan.

"I think that will suffice for today. If it's acceptable to you, I would like to have more sessions over the next few weeks to cover more of your memories in depth. I have already found several interesting differences that are worth following up on."

"Oh?"

"The Kurama clan, for instance. They seemed to be tied deeply to the Uchiha Incident in your world, and I would like to look into that matter more thoroughly next time. They appear to be much larger in your world than this one, where they only have a handful of active ninja."

Inoichi stood and stretched before walking over to the door. "Now then, I'm feeling rather hungry. How about you?"

As Inoichi pulled the door open, the smell of ramen wafted into the room from the kitchen.

Kuushou allowed a small smile to cross his face. "I could eat."

~ Scene Break ~

Sakura slowly made her way across the field, her steps measured and careful as she shook off the remnants of whatever sleep she had managed to get the night before. Kuushou watched her approach, the bag of ribbons at his feet and a smirk on his face.

"Don't you _ever _get tired?" Sakura muttered sourly, one hand rubbing at her eyes as she blinked rapidly. Her pink hair appeared to be a darker red in the dim morning light, falling down to her shoulders and blending into the red shirt she was wearing.

"No," Kuushou replied, smirking. Sakura rolled her eyes, clearly not believing his perfectly truthful answer to her question.

"You know the drill," he said next, pointing to the far end of the field.

Sakura shook herself again, clapping her hands to her face rapidly before turning to face the direction he pointed. She had come a long way from the first day where she had needed to use both hands to form and contain the line of chakra; now the line formed behind her left foot in less than a second, and she tensed slightly before pushing off.

She seemed to float over the ground, her legs tucked in slightly before extending as she made her landing. She stumbled and nearly fell as she reached the end of her jump, ending up two steps past her target. Muttering curses under her breath, she turned and repeated the exercise, coming to a rest a few feet away and only taking one step to bleed off her momentum.

"Still doesn't feel right," she said to herself, a frown etched on her face.

"And have you actually figured out just what it is about the technique that bothers you?" Kuushou pressed. This was far from the first time that Sakura had said something along those lines, though she had managed to progress well enough in the technique despite her complaints.

She shrugged uncomfortably, looking away for a moment before she squared her shoulders and turned to face him.

"This technique is acting kinda like a spring, right? I'm using chakra to push off against a surface and move quickly, and the hard part is really making sure my whole body is moving in the same direction, right?"

"Yes..." Kuushou said slowly, wondering where she was going with this.

"Well, then... why do _I _have to move?"

Kuushou stared at her for a moment, then his head tilted to one side. "Continue."

Sakura cleared her throat again, then moved a few steps away. "Well, the chakra is doing all of the work, right? So, couldn't I just do something like..." she trailed off as she focused.

Kuushou paid close attention to her chakra, wondering what the girl was trying to accomplish. She didn't have one line behind the foot she was using to push off this time; instead she had a line behind each foot. She also wasn't in any sort of stance, just standing there staring down at her feet.

The chakra under her feet pulsed and both of her feet shot out from under her, dumping her on her back and bouncing her head off of the dew-moistened grass.

She lay there silently for several seconds, her eyes shut tightly. Then she slowly and carefully picked herself up off of the ground, deliberately brushing off her shorts and the back of her shirt. Her jaw was clenched as she turned to face him again.

"Nevermind," she muttered quietly, her voice quivering slightly. "It was a stupid idea anyway."

"Do it again," Kuushou said, his eyes narrowed.

Her eyes snapped to his and her mouth worked for a moment. "I'm sorry, alright? I just thought-"

"No," he cut her off, shaking his head. "Do it again."

She blinked for a moment, then her eyes widened. "O-oh. Um, ok." She hesitated a little longer, then turned and faced to the side. "I... Instead of using just one line and pushing off against it, I thought I could use two lines, one on each foot, and transfer energy to both at the same time," she explained, her voice gaining confidence as she spoke. "That way I only have to do half as much work to get the chakra where it needs to go, right?"

Kuushou nodded impatiently, his senses carefully focused on what she was doing.

She repeated her earlier actions and the chakra pulsed again with the same result, though this time Kuushou moved forward to catch her before she hit the ground.

"You're forgetting something," he pointed out as he set her back on her feet. "If you do it this way, you're body isn't already moving in the same direction as the chakra boost. The way you need to distribute the chakra changes in that case."

Sakura stared at him for a moment before she buried her face in her hands and groaned. "Idiot," she muttered under her breath. She turned and began again without any further prompting, adjusting her stance several times before she was satisfied. She drew in a deep breath, focused, and then shot forward, flowing over the grass before her feet caught a small rise and sent her tumbling.

She rolled for several more feet before she got her legs under her, bouncing back upright and turning to face him. She had bits of grass in her hair, her dress had green stains all over and was plastered to her body from the dew she'd picked up, and she was holding one of her feet as she hopped up and down on the other, but she still had a wide grin on her face as she beamed at him.

"Yes!" she crowed. "It worked!"

~ Scene Break ~

"This time, Naruto-kun, I'd like you to focus on the history of the village," Inoichi said as they settled into his office. "Anything you can remember about the village in your world that differs from this one."

Kuushou nodded and waited for Inoichi to enter his mind. It had only been a few days since their first session, but he had expected something to come up regarding whatever it was Inoichi had noticed. So far nothing had, but perhaps this session would tell him more.

Inoichi entered his mindscape once more, but instead of sifting through memories he immediately started scanning the terrain, apparently looking for something specific. He was consistently moving downward, as much as it was possible to move in any real direction in such a place.

After about fifteen minutes, Inoichi frowned slightly before returning to the real world and asking him to focus on the history of the various ninja wars that had taken place. Twenty minutes after that, he appeared to be openly confused before he returned to the real world.

"This time, please focus on the history of the Tailed Beasts and how they have been used by the various villages," Inoichi requested. "I realize that it may be a sensitive subject for you, but I've already noticed some small differences in the histories of our worlds that could prove significant."

Kuushou nodded slowly as he tried to understand what Inoichi was attempting to do. The man had yet to review a single memory, so whatever this session was meant to accomplish was solely with whatever he was looking for within his mindscape.

Inoichi spent another ten minutes looking around, his demeanor growing increasingly frustrated and confused, before he finally stopped.

"Where is it?" he muttered to himself. "I should have seen some sign of it by now."

Kuushou noted that he had been right in thinking Inoichi was looking for something, though he still had no idea as to what.

Inoichi sighed. "Can't be helped, I suppose," he said to himself. His hands flashed through a series of seals as he performed some technique, ending on the sheep seal. He held it for several seconds as Kuushou looked on, waiting for something to happen.

Inoichi shook his head slowly then performed the jutsu again, once more ending on the sheep seal.

Still nothing.

"What is going on?" Inoichi growled out in frustration. "It's like it's not even-"

His words cut off abruptly, his entire form stiffening as his face paled rapidly. He remained that way for nearly a minute, his eyes moving rapidly in all directions and his head shaking from side to side. He finally seemed to come to a decision and approached a nearby cluster of memories.

Inoichi entered the memories in rapid succession, then performed a technique that created duplicates of them nearby. Kuushou could find no difference between them – even the layout within the mindscape was the same. Inoichi seemed to come to the same conclusion as he did not make any changes, but his agitation seemed to grow for some reason as he looked back and forth between the two sets of memories.

Finally, he drew in a deep breath and performed another jutsu, ending on the ram seal and letting out a sharp grunt as he focused.

The original set of memories was shredded, leaving a gaping hole in the mindscape behind.

Kuushou immediately tensed as he tried to figure out just what Inoichi was playing at. He could see a glimmer of pure white through the gap left behind and suspected he was now seeing the true form of what passed for his mindscape within this body. Was that what Inoichi had been looking for all this time?

This was not a situation that he and Ino had anticipated, nor did he know how a normal mindscape would react to that sort of damage. _Could _a normal mindscape even be damaged like that, or should something else have happened?

In the end, he could do nothing but wait, which seemed to be what Inoichi was doing as well. Time seemed to stretch on, Inoichi growing rapidly more agitated and Kuushou ever closer to pouncing on the man and sending whatever knowledge he had stumbled across with him to the grave.

Inoichi raised his hands again, though he did not perform another jutsu. Instead he moved them slowly through the air, and the gap in the mindscape gradually disappeared. Once it was fully sealed, he moved the copied memories into the place the originals had occupied.

He paused then, examining the group of memories closely for several seconds. He then let out a dark chuckle as a grimace crossed his face. "_Exactly _the same," he said to himself bitterly.

Then he vanished.

Kuushou returned his focus to outside the body in time to see Inoichi straighten up in his chair, a pensive expression on his face.

"Thank you for your time, Naruto-kun. I think we'll end things here for today."

"Did you find anything helpful?" Kuushou asked, inwardly preparing to lash out. If he killed the man now, he could make it out of the village and gain at least an hour's head start before anyone else realized what had happened. Whatever secret he had discovered would also die with him.

"I think so, yes," Inoichi nodded, his expression clearing. He glanced over at the clock hanging from the wall, nodding to himself. "It's a little early for lunch yet, so we've got time to talk. Tell me, how are your students doing in their preparations for the Chuunin Exams? I heard Hatake-san has taken Sasuke somewhere to train him in how to use the sharingan properly, but what about Hinata, Shino, Kiba, and Sakura? Are their preparations coming along well?"

Inoichi chuckled lightly then, shaking his head. "Well, I suppose Haruno-san's luck wasn't with her, considering that she was cursed to face Gaara-san in the first round. Hopefully she will have better luck in her opponents next time."

Kuushou slowly relaxed, his wariness giving way to confusion. Had Inoichi not discovered something strange about his mindscape? He had half expected Inoichi to make some excuse to leave immediately, but instead he was talking like normal, and even acting as if he assumed he would be staying for lunch again.

What was going on?

~ End Chapter ~

**A/N: Thanks for reading and thanks for all the reviews!**

**Many thanks to the folks on the SB forums for providing feedback and criticism on this and previous chapters.**


	14. Face To Face

"How is it, Naruto-kun?" Kiku asked, smiling across the table at him.

"Very good, as always," Kuushou replied, returning her smile.

"That's great to hear. I'm still trying to perfect my ramen recipe and I was a little worried it hadn't come out right," she demurred before taking another taste from her own bowl.

"Not at all," Kuushou assured her. "This is every bit as good as Ichiraku's."

Inoichi added his own praise at that point, and Kuushou returned his attention to the ramen sitting in front of him, giving the appearance that he was eating it quickly and with great enjoyment.

Internally, though, Kuushou's mind was racing. He had yet to figure out just what it was that Inoichi had found earlier in his mindscape, and he was still wavering between leaving the village immediately and biding his time to see just what Inoichi would do with the information. The man had given no sign that he was worried or anxious, even going out of his way to make sure that Kuushou stayed behind for lunch. He was as engaged in the conversation around the table as he ever was, and was certainly in no hurry to send Kuushou on his way.

Kuushou knew he had already let the optimal timing for his departure slip. If he had struck during their meeting, he could have disposed of Inoichi and sealed away the body before leaving the house. With no evidence of foul play, it would have been some time before his absence was noted, especially if he had told Kiku that Inoichi had gotten called away on urgent business. The ensuing delays and confusion could have bought him ample time to clear out his apartment and depart the village. He could still leave, of course, but his lead would be reduced drastically.

On the other hand, such a course of action would commit Konoha as his enemy, and they could prove a strong hindrance in his search rather than the potential boon he hoped they could become. The situation with the Hokage and Danzo was still shifting rapidly, but Kuushou was certain that he could wring the right sort of concessions out of one or both of them. Access to Konoha's latest information on jinchuuriki could save him months or even years of fruitless searching, and surely either a member of ANBU or an Elder like Danzo would have access to that kind of knowledge.

He would have to watch Inoichi carefully and make sure to monitor the movements of the stronger ninja in the village to make sure they didn't change in unexpected ways, but for now he would wait and see.

"It's a shame that Ino didn't make it to the finals," Kiku commented as she set aside her empty bowl. "She's been working so hard lately that I was sure she would be able to do it."

Inoichi glanced over at Kuushou for a moment, watching for a reaction, then nodded in agreement. "I think she could have pulled out a win against Tsume's boy, but her opponent was quite skilled in her own right and has several years of experience in addition to that. It's no surprise that she lost in that situation."

"What about the other kids?" Kiku asked next. "How do you think they'll do, Naruto-kun?"

"It's hard to say for sure," Kuushou replied, refilling his bowl for his fourth helping of ramen. "All of the competitors that made it to the finals are skilled. Personally, I'm most looking forward to the match between Sasuke and Hinata."

Inoichi perked up at that and leaned forward slightly. "Oh? Based on what I've seen, I would have expected the Uchiha to come out on top. Hinata has improved over the last few months, but not that much."

Kuushou grinned slightly. "Sasuke has a powerful advantage with his Sharingan, but Hinata has had time to prepare for that. I wouldn't commit to a winner between the two, though." His grin widened. "Which is precisely why I'm looking forward to it."

~ Scene Break ~

A sharp crack echoed through the clearing, followed by a quick yelp.

"Faster!" Kuushou barked.

Kuushou stood in the middle of the field, his arms still crossed over his chest and ribbons hovering in the air all around him. Sakura stood across from him, panting harshly. Her arms and legs were covered with small welts, and a few were still leaking blood from where his attacks had managed to break her skin.

"At this rate you'll never be ready to face Gaara in time," he told her, shaking his head in disappointment.

Sakura glared back at him, her hands shaking. "I'm going as fast as I can! You keep catching me before I can make the next jump!"

Kuushou frowned at her for a moment before the ribbons collapsed at his feet. He fished out a small pill from one of his pockets and tossed it to her. "Alright, take a break."

Sakura caught the pill and quickly swallowed it, slowly relaxing as her chakra reserves were restored to a more comfortable level. She settled down onto the grass then glanced upwards, taking note of the sun's position in the sky before looking back at him.

"What now?" she asked.

Kuushou studied her thoughtfully for a moment.

"Any word on Sasuke yet?" he asked.

She frowned, shaking her head. "No, and I haven't heard anything from Kakashi-sensei either. All I know is that Sasuke is undergoing specialized training for his Sharingan with Kakashi-sensei, but not when they'll be back or anything."

Kuushou shrugged, having expected that answer. He had initially been surprised when he had received a note informing him that Sasuke would not be attending his sessions for the next month, though the explanation for it made sense to him; no one else could train Sasuke on the intricacies of the Sharingan but Kakashi now, after all. He had actually been looking forward to training Sasuke for the finals, to take a hand in preparing both him and Hinata for their match and seeing which would emerge victorious.

"You know," Sakura said slowly, "I don't think you ever said just what this technique was called did you? I wasn't really thinking about it before, but it's kinda weird to be learning a technique when I don't even know the name."

"I never got around to learning the name myself, come to think of it," he replied easily. "It's not something I care about either, really. If it bothers you, feel free to name it yourself."

Rather than being offended by his dismissive tone, she seemed surprised and a little awed at his response before she grew thoughtful, her eyes flickering back and forth as she began muttering under her breath. After nearly a minute her face lit up and she grinned at him triumphantly.

"Shukuchi," she announced proudly.

"And what led you to pick that name?" he asked, not mentioning the fact that the term meant nothing to him.

"It's an ability in old myths and legends that allowed someone to cross great distances in a single step," she explained. "It's not _exactly _the same, but that's pretty much what the technique does, after all, so I thought it was a perfect fit."

Kuushou nodded in agreement. "Shukuchi it is, then," he replied, causing Sakura to beam at him. They lapsed into silence, Sakura once more getting lost in thought, occasionally humming thoughtfully or nodding to herself. She finally spoke up again a few minutes later.

"Naruto?" Sakura asked hesitantly as she leaned back on her hands. Kuushou looked over at her again, and she continued, "Why did you agree to teach me?"

"Why do you ask?"

She sighed and leaned forward, staring down at her hands. "I... I heard a bit about what happened, with Orochimaru when he attacked during the second phase. I knew you were there, of course, but a lot of people say you played a big part in taking him down. Then there's all these meetings you keep having with the Hokage and some of the clan heads, like Ino's dad."

"And?" Kuushou pressed.

"I know you get paid for our normal training sessions and all, but you haven't said a word about money for this, and I know it's not official. You've showed up at six in the morning, every day, just to help me out, and haven't asked for a thing in return."

Kuushou chuckled to himself, and Sakura finally looked up at him, a curious expression on her face.

"Would you believe me if I said I just wanted to help a fellow Konoha-nin? That I wanted to take part in shaping someone who will be one of Konoha's strongest ninja in the future?"

Sakura looked surprised and pleased for a moment, then slowly shook her head. "Not... not entirely. I mean, I'm very grateful," she added emphatically, waving her hands in the air, "but it just seems like there's more to it."

"Good. There _is_ something more to it." He leaned forward slightly, and Sakura shifted a little closer to better hear his reply.

"I want Gaara to lose."

She seemed surprised by that. "Why? I mean, he's not from Konoha or anything, but why him specifically?"

Kuushou's voice grew heated as he explained. "He _disgusts _me. He's nothing but a pathetic shadow of what he could have been, twisted and foul, and I have to restrain myself from killing him whenever I see him."

Whatever Sakura had been expecting, that wasn't it. She was staring at him with wide, shocked eyes, her mouth partially opened and working silently as she tried to find a reply. After a few seconds, she shook herself and finally muttered a quiet, "Oh."

His expression softened and his tone returned to normal. "That I can prepare you to not only defeat him, but to do so in a overwhelming fashion, is more than worth any time I spend doing so. And the other reasons I mentioned don't hurt either," he added with a smirk.

"Now then," he continued, "I think you've had enough of a break. Since you are having so much trouble using the technique multiple times in a row, I think we'll drop the dodging practice for now and focus on that."

~ Scene Break ~

Four days.

Four days since his last meeting with Inoichi. Four days since the man had found - or not found - something in his mindscape. Four days of carefully watching his movements and analyzing the people he met with.

In that time, Inoichi had spent nearly twenty hours in the Hokage's office. Not only that, but Jiraiya and the woman acting as the ANBU Commander had spent a large portion of that time with him as well. He'd been ready to make his move when she showed up during the meeting, had even gone so far as pulling out his stash of supplies and the Forbidden Scroll, but had waited for confirmation. Confirmation which never came. There were no strange movements among Konoha's forces, no groups of powerful ninja linking together and surrounding his position. They hadn't even changed the patrol schedule.

What did happen were meetings. And more meetings. And yet more meetings. Even more interesting than the people present in those meetings were the people who were entirely excluded; neither Danzo nor the Elders who made up the Council were involved at all. The one occasion where the Council attempted to enter the Hokage's office during such a meeting, they were surrounded by ANBU and escorted away. Danzo had been sniffing around well before that, always showing up shortly before the meetings began and shortly after they ended, but even he gave that section of the Hokage's Tower wide berth after that incident.

On the third day Jiraiya had finally tracked him down to finish examining his seal. The man had been focused on his work, though he still made several comments about the holes in Kuushou's analysis of the cursed seal and at one point launched into a fifteen minute lecture on the variety of traps Orochimaru had included in the seal and their effects on the bearer of the seal when they were tripped. Kuushou had waited out the lecture and then simply asked if Jiraiya had seen Anko lately.

The man had smirked and admitted that he had, and that he definitely approved of her decision to wear nothing but strapless tops as she celebrated her new-found freedom from the seal.

And now Inoichi had requested another mind-walking session. It was taking place in his house, like always, and he had even mentioned that Kiku was particularly proud of her most recent improvements to her ramen recipe.

"Thank you for coming, Naruto-kun," Inoichi said as he led Kuushou into the office. They quickly moved to their respective seats, Inoichi wasting no time in getting started. "We've got a lot to cover today, but we'll start with the Kumo incident. We have reviewed the details of what happened in this world and want to examine the incident more thoroughly in the other."

Kuushou nodded, closing his eyes and leaning back in his seat as he put on a mask of concentration.

Inoichi appeared in his mindscape a moment later, his expression pained as he glanced around, taking in the floating orbs that signified memories within the generally featureless terrain. He stood there for nearly a minute, apparently having some sort of internal debate before his shoulders slumped and he let out a low sigh.

After that, he moved quickly, darting from memory to memory. The mindscape seemed to… ripple in his wake. The changes were subtle and difficult to notice at first, but comparing the places where Inoichi had been to areas that he had yet to visit made them stand out clearly. The mindscape in his wake was sharper, better defined, and the groups of memories shifted slightly as they began to line up at exact angles. A clean pattern was forming, and Kuushou could observe the effects of whatever Inoichi was doing starting to spread outward in the beginnings of a chain reaction.

Inoichi was purely professional now, observing the reaction with a well-practiced eye and nodding in satisfaction. He continued to move around the mindscape, but his stops were fewer now. He made small adjustments to a group of memories in one area, then changed the alignment of different group in another. After a few minutes he paused and used some sort of jutsu, causing a pulse to spread out from his form and wash across the mindscape. Where the pulse touched, certain memories became brighter and even appeared to grow slightly larger as they stood out more prominently from those around them.

He used the technique again, only this time the memories affected dimmed and grew smaller until they were almost unnoticeable among those around them. He scanned the mindscape again, making more minor adjustments before he finally stopped completely and vanished.

Kuushou opened his eyes, studying Inoichi curiously as the man straightened in his seat.

"Did you find anything useful?" he asked.

Inoichi hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, Naruto-kun, I did. Miyazaki's motivations are rather interesting, though I wish you had heard more about the role that incident played in future diplomatic relations between the villages. We've had our share of kidnapping attempts that we have, unofficially, traced back to Kumo, but we have never captured that specific ninja. We'll be sure to keep an eye out for him moving forward."

"Glad I could be of help," Kuushou told him, smiling slightly.

"Now then," Inoichi said, nodding sharply as he glanced down at a notepad on his desk. "Next I'd like you to focus on the Academy, specifically the teachers there."

As Inoichi entered his mindscape again, this time spending more time exploring memories than changing things, Kuushou finally allowed himself to relax.

If Inoichi was bothering to do… whatever it was he was trying to do with his mindscape, then clearly he - or the Hokage - thought it would have some effect. If that was the case, then they had no idea what was _really _going on at all.

All the same, he wished Ino - the real Ino, _his _Ino - was around to talk with. She might have some idea of just what Inoichi was trying to do with all of that. The only thing that made even a small bit of sense was the changes Inoichi had made to the memories - judging by that, Konoha wanted him to remember certain things more strongly and forget others almost completely. He would make sure to review those carefully to see if the types of memories involved would give him any clues as to what they were attempting.

Still, it was probably the first time anyone had attempted to _literally_ change his mind, he thought with amusement.

~ Scene Break ~

"Ladies and gentleman," the ninja standing in the middle of the arena called out, his voice carrying clearly throughout the packed stadium. "Welcome to Konoha's Chuunin Exams!"

The crowd cheered and clapped, eager for the main event to finally get started after the month of anticipation they had endured.

"Some of the strongest genin from across the Elemental Nations will be competing today, testing their skills against one another right before your very eyes! The first match features two of Konoha's best, Kiba Inuzuka and Neji Hyuuga."

Kuushou watched as the two genin made their way to the center of the arena, stopping roughly twenty feet apart. Neji was moving with a calm bordering on arrogance while Kiba was almost bouncing in place, Akamaru keeping pace beside him.

The proctor spoke to the two genin, confirming that each was ready before jumping back and ordering them to begin. Kiba tossed a pill to Akamaru and they split up, circling around Neji as they tried to put their opponent between them.

"How long do you think this'll take?" Anko mused as she crouched at the edge of the roof. They were both part of the security guarding the stadium, but other than keeping an eye out for ninja attempting to move across the roof or launch an attack from outside the stadium they were free to use their excellent vantage point to watch the matches.

Kuushou pondered the question for a moment, watching as Kiba threw a few kunai towards Neji that were easily deflected. Neji responded by darting towards Kiba, prompting Akamaru to begin closing in towards the Hyuuga's back. "Not long," he decided finally.

Kiba started in on a series of hand-signs - probably for the Binding Stone technique he had been slowly learning over the past few months. If he had gotten it off successfully it would have given him a strong advantage in mobility and made it much easier for him and Akamaru to engage in hit and run tactics against Neji. He abandoned the technique just as quickly when Neji put on another burst of speed to close in to melee range, Akamaru hot on his heels.

"Fifty ryo says Neji wins in under three minutes," Anko offered, turning her head slightly to smirk at him. "Surely you have enough faith in your student to take that bet?"

"I might," Kuushou replied, shaking his head, "if this wasn't almost over already."

Anko turned back to the battle unfolding below and cursed.

Neji had already disabled Akamaru with a rapid series of strikes when the dog leapt at his back and was currently picking apart Kiba's attacks with methodical precision. Even as they watched, Neji batted Kiba's swiping attack aside almost casually and landed a series of blows that dropped Kiba to the ground. The announcer called the match shortly after that.

"Should've made that bet before the match started," she muttered in annoyance.

The battle between Temari and Shino passed almost as quickly, though it was much more even. Shino kept up a solid pressure on Temari using his bugs to constantly threaten her position until she finally countered by taking to the sky, using her fan to glide slowly through the air. When Shino tried to send his bugs in for another attack without the concealing advantage the grass gave them, she managed to pinpoint his real location and used her wind attacks to disable him.

Kuushou leaned forward in anticipation as he waited for the next match to begin. Hinata was quickly making her way into the arena, once again wearing her beige coat and loose blue pants. She had a kunai holster on either leg but bore no other visible weapons. Sasuke, on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen.

"Will Sasuke Uchiha please report to the arena?" the proctor called out, the slightest tinge of annoyance in his voice after a couple of minutes had passed. The crowd was growing increasingly restless, their mutters and catcalls growing in volume as the delay dragged on. Finally, before the proctor could repeat the request again, Sasuke made his entrance.

Sasuke appeared across from Hinata in a swirl of leaves, Kakashi standing behind him with his book open looking for all the world as if he out for a stroll.

"We're not late, are we?" Kakashi asked, reaching up to turn to the next page.

"Almost," the proctor commented. "I assume you're ready to begin the fight?" he asked next, turning to look at Sasuke.

Sasuke nodded silently, his eyes already focused on his opponent. His appearance ragged; his hair was grown out and untrimmed and he was wearing a black bodysuit with bandages covering almost his entire left arm. All the same, he was clearly eager to begin and seemed none the worse for wear.

Kakashi disappeared from the arena in another swirl of leaves, and the proctor called for the match to begin.

"Byakugan!" Hinata cried as she activated her eyes. Sasuke echoed her a moment later as he activated his own _doujutsu_, calling out, "Sharingan!"

The next instant Hinata pulled out two kunai, whipping them both forward and dipping her hands into the pouches on her legs for another pair.

Sasuke dodged them almost contemptuously as he brought up his hands, preparing to use a jutsu, only to suddenly leap to the side as the kunai swerved in midair to pass through where his torso would have been. He leapt backwards again as the kunai continued to pursue him, his head turning back and forth to track their positions as the second pair of kunai joined the battle.

"_Well now_," Anko murmured appreciatively. "That's not a skill you see everyday; especially not out of a Hyuuga. Is that what you guys have been working on?"

"Among other things," Kuushou answered, still focused on the fight.

Sasuke abruptly changed directions, closing in towards Hinata while swiping his hands through the air in a seemingly meaningless gesture. Two of the kunai dropped to the ground, and another one joined them a moment later as his hands continued to move through the air. Hinata started to backpedal, pulling out two more kunai and launching them directly at Sasuke, only for the Uchiha's hands to flash out and grab them, immediately flinging them straight back at Hinata.

Hinata twisted and ducked, avoiding the projectiles but letting the fourth kunai she had been controlling drop as well. She didn't have time to restart her attacks as Sasuke closed in and began firing off a rapid series of punches and kicks.

"Still didn't amount to much," Anko sighed, "though it was better than I was expecting, honestly," she added.

Kuushou didn't answer, barely hearing her question as he absorbed every detail of the battle below. Sasuke's speed had noticeably improved in the month since he had last trained the Uchiha, as had his confidence with the Sharingan. No longer was the genin's gaze firmly fixed on his target, but instead swinging slightly from side to side as he moved about, ensuring that his field of vision encompassed more of the battlefield. Watching as he engaged in a _taijutsu _battle with Hinata, he could pick out certain motions that were strikingly similar to moves he had seen Hinata and Neji use. Taken together with how well his body was positioned to take advantage of Hinata's hurried responses to his attacks, it seemed clear that Kakashi had spent at least some time preparing Sasuke to counter the Gentle Fist style.

Sasuke had also refrained from using any techniques aside from his Sharingan up to this point, and Kuushou wondered if that was a conscious decision on his part. Did Sasuke feel that he could take Hinata on with pure taijutsu - certainly not outside the realm of possibility, especially with the skill he was showing now - or was he attempting to conserve his chakra, mindful of future matches? Perhaps he was attempting to prevent her from utilizing the chakra threads so that she couldn't strike from a blind spot?

Hinata recovered some of her equilibrium, actually launching some attacks of her own as she continued to avoid or block Sasuke's attacks as much as she was able. Sasuke's own stance shifted as he fell back slightly, beginning to utilize his superior speed to counterattack instead of trying to maintain his continuous assault. He was paying close attention to her hands, twisting his body and using his own hands to deflect with precision as he made sure she never got the chance to lay a finger on him directly. At the same time, whenever Hinata overextended, every time she failed to correctly predict his response, every time he managed to dodge a strike that should have landed, he took advantage. A spinning backhand that collided painfully with her hastily raised forearm, a low kick that cracked into her shin, a feinted punch that turned into a sidekick to her ribs.

Kuushou found himself frowning as the fight went on and Sasuke's advantage grew steadily. Hinata was taking far more damage than Sasuke, especially since the Uchiha's efforts at avoiding her hands were paying off as he managed to prevent her from closing any of his tenketsu. She hadn't even attempted to utilize her chakra threads after the initial series of attacks. Had she lost herself in the pressure of the match? Had she forgotten all of their training? She had shown much more than this during their training sessions, had displayed a ferocity and tenacity that was completely absent from the kunoichi currently in the arena. She was almost entirely defensive now, her arms warding off constant attacks from Sasuke and her legs retreating ever backwards, drawing her nearer and nearer to the wall of the arena. Once she had nowhere left to retreat, the battle would be over.

It seemed like it wouldn't take even that long when a poorly executed counter on Hinata's part left Sasuke with a firm grip on her arm and his fist snapping forward with blinding speed as the genin took the shot at his opponent's unprotected head.

"So much for that," Anko sighed. "Looks like the Uchiha's got this one in the- what the fuck?"

Sasuke's entire body jerked backwards and he let out a hoarse scream of pain, abandoning his attack along with any semblance of a stance as both hands coming up to cover his face. Hinata's other arm moved from its defensive position as her stance shifted; she now stood with her arms spread wide, one held out in front of her and the other mirroring it behind. Her legs, which had been constantly carrying her backwards as she retreated from Sasuke's assault, were now in the perfect position for her next attack.

"Eight Trigrams, Sixty-Four Palms," Hinata bit out, her voice echoing through the stunned silence that was currently filling the stadium.

She flowed forward, both hands slamming into Sasuke's unprotected torso. The Uchiha was knocked back by the strike and yet barely seemed to react to the blows, his hands still held over his face. Hinata didn't let up in the least as she picked up momentum, her hands flashing and her body spinning and she slammed blow after blow into her opponent. By the time Sasuke finally managed to react, bringing his hands down to try to interrupt her technique, it was far too late.

"Sixty-four palms!" she screamed out at the end, her hands blurring as she completed one of the ultimate techniques of her clan's style.

Sasuke was tossed backward as the technique ended, flying several feet through the air to land on his back. The crowd remained silent as it slowly became clear that the Uchiha wasn't going to get up again. The proctor appeared a moment later, kneeling beside the Uchiha and checking on his condition. His hand hovered over the Uchiha's face for a moment, tugging at something before he held it up and studied it for a moment. Finally, he shook his head and stood up, raising one hand in the air.

"Winner: Hinata Hyuuga!" he called out.

The crowd started cheering wildly, shouts of encouragement and the sound of stamping feet filling the air.

Anko turned to look at Kuushou, a baffled expression on her face. "… the _fuck _just happened, Blondie?"

Kuushou let out a low chuckle as he allowed a vicious grin to cross his face. "I do believe Sasuke got something in his eyes."

"In his _eyes_?" she repeated, turning to look back at the arena where Sasuke was being carried off of the field on a stretcher.

Kuushou watched the two assistants carting Sasuke off before his attention turned to Hinata. She had paused at the top of the stairs and was looking in his direction. He suspected she still had her Byakugan activated, so nodded towards her approvingly, grin still wide. He wasn't sure just what she'd done to Sasuke at the end, but whatever it was had worked beautifully and she had managed to capitalize on that opening to great effect. He would have to ask her later just how she had managed to distract him so thoroughly from the fight.

"She can't have blinded him - the medics would be throwing a shitfit in that case," Anko commented. "Whatever it was, it worked like a charm. I think I actually get why you were looking forward to this match so much now."

Kuushou shrugged as Hinata turned and walked towards the area reserved for the finalists. He turned his attention back to the arena as the next contestants were announced. Gaara appeared in the middle of the open area in a swirl of sand, his arms crossed and his posture almost bored. Despite that, Kuushou could feel the disgusting thing he contained surging in anticipation.

Sakura was making her way down on foot, walking from the contestant's balcony to the long stairs that led down to the arena. She'd just reached the top when Kakashi appeared next to her, an orange book in one hand. They spoke briefly before Kakashi suddenly stiffened, the book lowering as he turned to look at her fully.

"Oh, _somebody's _not happy," Anko chuckled, leaning forward eagerly.

They continued speaking, though whatever they were saying wasn't getting picked up by the sound amplification in the arena. Sakura's shoulders were hunching defensively and she had one arm wrapped around her stomach as she looked away from her teacher. Suddenly she straightened and whipped her hand through the air, taking a step forward as she snapped at something he had said. Kakashi responded, his hand making a sharp, decisive motion.

Sakura froze for several seconds before her shoulders slumped. Kakashi visibly relaxed, one hand reaching out for Sakura's shoulder before she brushed past him, continuing down the stairs. She turned to say something over her shoulder that had Kakashi frozen in turn, the jounin's head tracking Sakura's progress until she had reached her place across from Gaara and pulled out two kunai. Then he abruptly disappeared in a _shunshin_, his signature coming to a stop next to Asuma and Kurenai.

Kuushou glanced over at Anko, expecting some sort of comment regarding that confrontation, only to see her face set in an unreadable mask.

"Gaara of the Sand versus Haruno Sakura, begin!" the proctor called out.

Kuushou set aside his thoughts on that confrontation and the potential reasons for Anko's lack of reaction as he gave his full attention to the pivotal opening moments of this match. Gaara wasted no time in pulling sand out of the gourd on his back, the substance floating around his body like thin clouds. Sakura wasted no time either, whipping both kunai forward in a lightning fast motion.

Gaara didn't even twitch as the kunai approached and were effortlessly plucked out of the air by the sand floating around him.

Kuushou's body practically thrummed with anticipation as Sakura smoothly turned on her heel and began running directly away from Gaara as fast as her legs could move, several _bunshin _spreading in her wake. The kunai she had thrown exploded as she took her second step, filling the air around Gaara with a thick cloud of dark green smoke.

"And _done_," Kuushou growled out in satisfaction. The only question left was whether Gaara would come into contact with enough of the gas to outright kill him rather than just incapacitate him.

"Is that…" Anko said slowly, her eyes narrowing as her attention turned to the battle. "What _is _that?"

Gaara left the rapidly dissipating cloud in another swirl of sand, crossing to the far side of the arena and lashing out at the nearest clone. The claw-like sand appendage left three jagged slashes through the clone's form before it dispersed in a puff of smoke. The other clones in the area scattered, trying to put as much distance between themselves and Gaara as they could. Sakura's delighted, triumphant laughter floated into the stands, the sound an odd counterpoint to the destruction the Suna-nin was wreaking as he lashed out.

"Just a gas used in more complicated surgeries to numb the patient and render them unconscious," Kuushou replied calmly.

"And how much are you supposed to use normally?"

"Oh… about a hundred times less than that. It's also generally released directly into the opponent's airway, so I'm sure he didn't get _that _much of it," Kuushou countered, smirking.

Gaara continued lashing out, now whipping around three claws of sand and shredding clones with abandon. He staggered for a moment, his hands rising towards his head before the claws abruptly altered course, snapping around with more speed than they had ever displayed before to surround the real Sakura from both sides and above. The claws smashed together with a bone-shaking impact that was felt in the stands, and Anko let out a low curse. The explosion of sand and dirt settled to the ground for a moment even as the clones vanished, winking out of existence in small puffs of smoke.

Kuushou smirked as he tracked Sakura's progress, her trajectory carrying her halfway up the wall of the arena to land sideways in a crouch, visibly panting as one hand clutched at her chest.

"-the _fuck _was_ that!_" Sakura gasped out, the sound carrying throughout the hushed stadium.

"How did she-" Anko began to ask, but her voice was drowned out as Gaara let out an angry shout. It sounded far more bestial than he would have expected, though, and he was surprised to find that the foul presence contained within Gaara was growing stronger rapidly even as Gaara's chakra dwindled in comparison.

The large pile of sand shot up from the ground, now resembling a massive, clawed foot. It slammed into the wall where Sakura had been a moment before, gouging deep furrows into the stone and sending chunks of it tumbling into the arena. Sakura finished her _shukuchi-_induced flight straight down and hit the ground running, throwing out nearly a dozen clones that all took a step and launched themselves into the air with another _shukuchi _- or at least the appearance of one - landing roughly halfway up the wall before running further on foot.

A low burst of killing intent washed over the stadium, sending the people closest to the pit scrambling out of their seats as they moved away from the source. Kuushou could feel the ninja around the stadium becoming more active, their attention focusing on the events unfolding inside the arena.

Despite the clones Sakura had thrown out, the sand honed in on the real one with unerring precision. The claws were spread wide as they tried to trap her, only narrowly missing as Sakura shot straight down once more, slamming into the ground with a low grunt and taking two staggering steps before using another _shukuchi _to cross to the far side of the arena.

The killing intent spiked higher, prompting frightened screams from the crowd as it pierced the adrenaline-filled haze that had gripped most of them. Kuushou frowned as he took in the situation; Gaara should have been down well before now, either unconscious or dead, and yet he seemed to instead be growing faster. At the same time, his chakra was completely overwhelmed by the demon sealed inside of him, suggesting that Gaara wasn't the one in control at all.

That… was not a possibility he had considered.

"**Annoying… little… **_**ant**_**!" **a dark voice screamed out as another mass of sand formed around Gaara, rapidly joining up with the arm already present and taking a disturbingly familiar shape.

"Fucking fuck," Anko growled as she jumped to her feet. "The little shit let the Ichibi out."

_"This time, please focus on the history of the Tailed Beasts and how they have been used by the various villages," Inoichi requested. "I realize that it may be a sensitive subject for you, but I've already noticed some small differences in the histories of our worlds that could prove significant."_

The little shit let the Ichibi out.

_"I've heard some interesting things about this Gaara."_

"_Ah," Kakashi said. "Yes, I suppose you would have."_

Let the Ichibi out.

_The battle had taken place nearly seventy years ago, which did not match up at all with the timing for his banishment and return._

_Something was wrong with all of this._

The Ichibi.

_What did it matter if Outlings weren't really Outlings?_

_It had nothing to do with him._

~ Scene Break ~

Anko watched in concern as Sakura continued to desperately evade the jinchuuriki's sand. Whatever technique she'd pulled out of her ass - likely the one Naruto had been so infuriatingly coy about keeping secret - was giving her one hell of a speed boost, true. The girl - no, the _kunoichi_, Anko corrected herself. She was clearly terrified as fuck yet still had the presence of mind to keep dodging rather than freezing up and dying, so she'd earned at least that much.

It was unfortunate that she couldn't find the time or breath to choke out the word forfeit, though it wouldn't have done her any good at this point anyway. The little shit from Suna had clearly snapped and was working himself up into a nice rampage. Sakura's best hope at this point was that the proctor called the match or the Hokage decided to step in before the crowd was threatened. If she was lucky she would use that weird movement technique of hers to dodge out of the arena entirely, forfeiting by default and giving the ninja an excuse to step in.

"**Annoying… little… **_**ant**_**!" **a dark voice screamed out as another mass of sand formed around Gaara, rapidly joining up with the arm already present. She could make out the beginnings of an actual body in all of that, and paled as she realized what was actually going on.

"Fucking fuck," she growled as she jumped to her feet. "The little shit let the Ichibi out."

She looked to the Kage box for orders, noting that both Hokage-sama and the Kazekage were standing at the railing and peering down into the arena.

Another explosion of stone, sand, and dust rocked the stadium, and Anko spared a glance, oddly relieved to see the flash of pink darting through the air that signified the girl was still-

Anko staggered and dropped to her knees, almost pitching over the edge of the roof as a crushing, malevolent aura slammed into her. The slowly building killing intent of the Ichibi vanished entirely as her senses were completely overwhelmed by this new presence. She quickly flared her chakra throughout her body to ward off the effects and pulled herself back to her feet, ready to ward off whatever new attacker had appeared and turning to Naruto to see if he had already identified the source.

Only to find that Naruto _was _the source.

He was lying face down on the roof, his face hidden from her view but his body completely still and motionless. Thick, blood red chakra was boiling out of him, eating away at his clothing and the tiles around him. She jumped backwards reflexively as nine tails shot up into the air, weaving and coiling around each other. Naruto's body finally started to move then, his arms and legs twitching spasmodically as his dissolving clothing revealed rapidly darkening flesh. One arm shot out and the chakra solidified around it, becoming so thick it was nearly opaque as it took on a clearly animalistic form. His other limbs followed swiftly until his entire body was hidden from sight, encased inside a shell of that chakra.

It was a fox, her mind noted. She wasn't sure why she focused on that detail, or how it penetrated the horrified haze that filled her as she took in what was happening to her… to her… to Naruto. She'd seen the Kyuubi on its rampage through Konoha, one of the few memories seared into her mind that she knew would never fade. The Kyuubi had been an enormous beast that strongly resembled a fox, but at the same time it was clearly something else. Its form had been twisted, gaunt, its limbs just a little too long, not bending quite the way they should.

This was a fox. She could almost see the sleek fur of its coat rippling as it took a step forward, its powerful muscles flexing. Its jaw gaped open revealing wickedly sharp teeth and its claws dug into the roof, slicing through tile and wood without the slightest sign of resistance. Its nine tails straightened, bristling as it tensed and crouched low.

Then it was gone, leaving behind a spray of shattered wood and tiles and a swirl of red chakra that streamed towards the arena in its wake.

~ End Chapter ~

**As always, thanks for reading and thanks for all the reviews!**

**Many thanks to the folks on the SB forums for providing beta feedback for this chapter.**


	15. Quicksilver

Hinata calmly walked up the steps, forcing herself to keep her breathing slow and even. Her arms ached with the accrued damage of the dozens of strikes she had blocked, and if she rotated her torso just wrong a dull pain would shoot up her side. She had examined the damaged area with her Byakugan and determined it wasn't a serious problem, but it was still quite unpleasantly painful. She would have to make use of her limited first aid skills and jutsu to deal with it before her next match.

More than the myriad bruises and injuries she had sustained, though, was the thrill of victory that hummed through her. She had faced down the most skilled genin of her class and won. No, not just won; she had won decisively. She may not have come out unscathed, but there wasn't a single person in the entire stadium who would doubt her victory now. She absently twisted her wrist, brushing the back of her hand along the edge of her sleeve and the small pockets where she had stored a set of needles.

She had thought long and hard about Naruto's advice regarding what she should do for this match. She had even developed a set of chakra string exercises based around the needle he had given her, attempting to thread the strings through the eye of the needle or pick it up by the small, sharp tip. It had taken a mishap when attempting to juggle the needle before she realized what she needed to do. She had told Naruto about her discovery and received one of his genuine grins, the ones that reminded her of how the other Naruto had been while also underscoring just how different this Naruto was.

Losing Naruto had been... painful. It was only more painful knowing that she'd never really had him in the first place. Instead she had admired him from afar, amused by his antics and inspired by his energy and eagerness. She had often daydreamed of joining him in his pranks, standing firmly by his side as he faced down the disapproval of the teachers without budging an inch. And then, while she had been fast asleep dreaming of a future as his teammate and trusted friend, he vanished.

In his place was... someone new. He _looked _like Naruto, down to the wild blond hair and whisker marks, but he _acted _nothing like him. Where Naruto had been energetic, this one was relaxed. Where Naruto had been loud, this one was quiet. Where Naruto had been warm, this one was cold. Looking back on it now, it amazed her that she hadn't seen the differences for what they were on the day of the graduation exam - instead she had brushed them aside, wrapped up in her own nervousness about the upcoming tests and believing him to be acting oddly for the same reasons. She'd even felt _better _about it, knowing that Naruto was a little nervous too; just like her.

As she reached the top of the steps, she tilted her head up and looked directly at where Naruto was standing on the edge of the roof of the arena. The strange red aura that constantly surrounded him made studying him directly difficult, but she was learning to adjust for it. He was wearing a standard issue chuunin uniform and flak vest, as he usually did; they were well-made, but nothing unusual or distinctive. The same could be said for the kunai in the pouch he kept strapped to his leg. The only unusual items he carried were the sealing supplies and scrolls on his person, as well as the highly customized sealing scroll he kept on the inside of his flak vest in a hidden pocket, the pocket itself surrounded by sealing arrays whose purpose she could only guess.

She finally focused on Naruto's face and noted that he was looking in her direction, at her. She felt her heart start beating faster and a small shiver run through her when she saw his lips set in that grin as he tipped his head to her. That grin embodied everything that was different about this Naruto; it was dark, vicious, and utterly fascinating.

After she'd had the truth thrown in her face, she'd spent far too long coming to grips with it, wasting her time wallowing in self-pity. And, in the end, it had been her memory of Naruto that had allowed her to face the new Naruto once more. He didn't offer soft words and meaningless assurances like Kurenai-sensei had, he didn't berate and threaten her like Father had, he just... asked why. Why she was there, why she kept going. And then she did something she never thought she'd be able to do, something that _Naruto _would have done - she told him, honestly and completely and, above all, _loudly, _pouring everything out in a torrent of so many conflicting emotions she would never be able to name them all. Instead of getting angry or upset, he'd told her about his Hinata, and what she lacked, and why it mattered.

And then he'd _grinned_.

That was the moment he'd stopped being "the pretend Naruto" or "the fake Naruto" or even "the other Naruto" and become just... Naruto. That was the moment that she decided she was going to be everything the other Hinata had failed to be, everything the other Hinata could never have been.

Hinata finally turned away and began walking along the railed off pathway that led to the contestant's platform. Her eyes narrowed slightly and her face hardened when she saw Haruno walking towards her, but she quickly plastered a polite smile on her face. The pink-haired girl called out her congratulations and accepted Hinata's encouragement as they passed, the pink-haired girl looking understandably nervous about facing her next opponent.

She knew that Haruno had been getting additional training from Naruto; she had even observed some of their sessions, giving in to her curiosity about what the kunoichi was learning that would help against a ninja of Gaara's caliber.

While she had satisfied herself that Haruno wasn't learning anything related to chakra strings or other advanced skills, she still didn't fully grasp just what Haruno _was _learning. She knew it was a movement technique, that much was obvious. Parts of it resembled the _shunshin _that so many ninja used to move through open areas quickly while other parts resembled the tree- and water-walking exercises. What she couldn't understand, even after watching again and again, was why Haruno's entire body shimmered with chakra at times or just how the disparate elements of the technique translated into the smooth, almost graceful motions that were its ultimate result.

More than her curiosity about Haruno's technique, though, was the awe she felt when she witnessed Naruto using the chakra string technique at a level she had not even dreamed of. He sometimes manipulated as many as a dozen ribbons at the same time without apparent effort, each of them working together seamlessly to harass and corral Haruno. He poured his own chakra into the ribbons and then controlled them as if they were extensions of his own body, using them with both power and finesse. It had been humbling to see just how far she had to go, but it also excited her at the same time.

Naruto had chosen to teach her a technique that he must have devoted a great deal of time and effort to, while Haruno was merely learning a half-baked movement technique that held limited utility. With Naruto's help even someone like Haruno should be able to advance in the finals, but from Hinata's observations of their training and her own practice, she would have no trouble demonstrating just who the better kunoichi was between them. Her Byakugan could detect the preparation of the technique and Haruno had several physical tells on top of that; countering it would be a simple matter of the proper timing.

And for all that she wanted to defeat Haruno herself, to prove once and for all that Naruto shouldn't waste his time on _her_, a small part of her had other thoughts. The part that remembered all too well how the old Naruto had chased after Haruno, the part that remembered how the pink-haired girl had rejected his care and affection out of hand, the part that had endured listening to Haruno dismiss and insult Naruto as weak, stupid, pathetic, annoying... that part hoped that Haruno would be forced to forfeit in disgrace as she proved that even Naruto's help wasn't enough to make her into something useful.

Hinata felt the edges of her lips curling upwards into a grin as she took her place along the railing of the competitor's area and waited for the next match to begin. She couldn't tell for sure, but she liked to think it looked like Naruto's.

~ Scene Break ~

Sakura Haruno knew she was going to die.

She had known it intellectually since she was seven and her grandmother had passed away. She had known it scholastically since the fourth month in the Academy when they got the lecture about mortality rates among ninja. Now? Now she knew it viscerally; it thrummed through her veins with each beat of her heart, slammed into her body with each burst of _shukuchi, _and threatened to overwhelm her mind with each panicked breath. Even the frantic moments on their third C-rank mission when she could do nothing but watch the blade slicing through the air towards her paled in comparison to this.

Everything had been going so well at the start. Gaara had just stood there, exactly like he had in the prelims, and let his sand catch the kunai she had thrown at him. The modified explosive tags had worked perfectly, and the gas Naruto had given her had done its job quickly. She could measure the progress of the poison she had introduced into his system by the growing lethargy in the sand and the way Gaara became increasingly desperate as he lashed out. She'd been on the verge of declaring her own victory, buoyed by the elation of her month of frantic - and often painful - training paying off in such a spectacularly dramatic fashion. She had been vindicated, the words she had spoken to Hatake-san underscored and emphasized in a way that even her supposed teacher couldn't ignore.

Then it had all gone to hell.

Her only warning had been the abrupt change in the air, and if she'd been even a second slower to react she would have been crushed where she stood. What followed was an increasingly fast and brutal series of attacks that made Naruto at his worst seem lazy in comparison. She had managed to keep one step ahead of the sand up to this point despite the fact that her decoys had inexplicably stopped working, but that wouldn't hold much longer. Her chakra reserves, deeper and more refined than they'd ever been after Naruto's training, were dwindling rapidly as she used _shukuchi _after _shukuchi, _no longer even pausing between one step and the next as she bounced around the arena. She couldn't afford to.

"**Annoying... little... **_**ant!**_"

There was a flash of pain along her thigh and the world began spinning, ground and sky and sand and blood flashing by in rapid succession. That last one should have worried her more, but it was the sand that she focused on. She had been knocked off course, her targeted spot high on the arena wall tumbling away far out of reach. She would hit the wall still, but farther down, closer to the ground, closer to the sand. Too close.

She couldn't get her feet under her, couldn't prepare herself for another burst of _shukuchi_, couldn't do anything. Her mind absently calculated her situation, considering the angle of her approach, the rate of her spin, the speed the sand had shown so far. She would land on her side, awkwardly and forcefully. The wall was already damaged from a previous encounter with the sand, leaving rough pits and jagged tears in the stone; those would grate against and pierce her skin, injuring her even further and slowing her response. It would take her nearly a second to absorb the impact, get her feet under her, and utilize the _shukuchi _to escape.

She didn't have that much time.

_"Fuck dying, __**Shannaro**__!"_

She started moving even before she consciously realized what she was doing, flaring her chakra and stretching out her right hand to make contact with the rapidly approaching wall. She let out a grunt of pain through her clenched teeth when the broken remains of the wall sliced into her skin, desperately focusing all of her attention and chakra into performing the _shukuchi _in a way she had never practiced, never even _thought of_ until this moment. Her arm jerked painfully in its socket as her grip on the wall fought against the rotation of the rest of her body, but she refused to let go now as she poured her chakra out and _pushed_. There was another sharp jerk and more pain, mostly from her hand.

Then she was flying again, a fierce grin on her face as the wind whipped her hair around. Below her she could see a massive stream of sand plowing into the wall where she had been a moment before, the impact powerful enough to shake the entire stadium. The sand gathered again, and the smile fell off of her face when she got a good look at it.

Two dark yellow eyes glared up at her while a toothy jaw gaped open below them. The sand had gathered together into a definite shape, thick and massive and animal-like. Whatever it was seemed to be inhaling, its chest swelling and its head rearing back. She turned her body, reaching out behind her to touch the wall again in preparation for another _shukuchi_, only to find that there was no wall behind her. Her last push had taken her out of the stadium entirely and she was currently hanging in the open air with no choice but to let gravity take its course.

Her eyes drifted closed and the last remaining tension drained out of her frame as a bitter, tired laugh escaped her lips. It seemed that, in the end, her best efforts simply weren't enough.

Sakura Haruno knew she was going to die.

"Disqualified!" a distant voice shouted, the word laced with a strange mixture of relief and fear.

Her eyes snapped open just in time to witness the creature that had formed at the bottom of the arena spit out some sort of large sphere of what looked like discolored air, the mass streaking directly towards her. The next moment some sort of red streak slammed into the creature, bowling it over. The air shook with a furious roar as the arena floor dissolved into a roiling mass of sand and curling streams of red.

Something slammed into her, knocking her out of the path of the roiling mass of air and carrying her towards the stands. Shaking arms wrapped around her shoulders and waist, holding her tight.

"I've got you, Sakura," someone said. "I've got you."

Her head lolled back and her eyes narrowed as she tried to focus. It was getting dark for some reason, but she could still make out the slanted headband and white hair.

"... told you," she said, her voice oddly distant to her own ears. "I'm not useless."

"Never," he answered, his voice thick. "You were never useless."

"Told you," she repeated.

"Medic!" someone whispered in her ear, and then all she could hear was screaming.

~ Scene Break ~

"Disqualified!" the proctor shouted the moment the pink-haired kunoichi rose above the top of the arena walls.

Temari clenched the railing tightly, struggling to ignore the growing press of the killing intent Gaara's demon was giving off. She watched as the Ichibi fired off a giant ball of compressed air and shuddered at how casually it launched a technique that would have taken a large portion of her chakra reserves to even begin to match. She was equally pissed and relieved that the girl responsible for this mess would survive. Well, probably; that white-haired jounin had caught her and carried her into the stands, but there was also a long trail of blood running up the wall marking the path the girl had taken into the sky.

Kankuro whistled lowly. "She lucked out on that one. I thought she was done f-"

His comment was interrupted by a loud roar that shook the stadium, and Temari returned her attention to the arena floor. The Ichibi's form had lost a lot of its definition and now resembled a lumpy layer of sand covering the ground more than an actual creature. She could make out streams of red chakra whipping back and forth as they rose out of the sand and lashed out. They were flailing around wildly, but seemed to emanate from a central source, and she could count nine... of... them...

Her hands started shaking as the blood slowly drained from her face, and Kankuro let out a choked "Oh, shit."

A massive wave of sand rose up and swept over the streams of chakra, forming into a large ball that began to compact, growing smaller and smaller as the Ichibi sought to crush whatever was attacking it. It looked like it was working for a moment before the mass of sand exploded in a flash of red. Temari clapped her hands over her ears as a high-pitched keening washed over her, so loud it felt like her eardrums would burst. As the sound faded she finally got a good look at what was attacking the demon her brother had unleashed.

The first thing she noticed were the tails. That was the true form of the red chakra she had seen before; nine impossibly long tails, coiling through the air above and around the creature stalking across the arena floor. Each must have been ten feet long, easily, and they looped and curved around each other as they undulated about. In comparison the being they were connected to seemed almost small, a mere six or seven feet long at most and half that in height. It was hard to say for sure since the main body was hazy, like it was surrounded in a thin fog of that red chakra. It pulsed as it moved, a ripple of slightly darker red that started at the main body before flowing up and along the tails.

In the brief moments where she could get a clear look, she could make out the form of a large fox, ears laying flat against its skull and jaws gaping wide.

For the first time Temari could remember, she was afraid _for _her brother rather than _of _him. Everyone assumed that Konoha had created their own jinchuuriki when they defeated the Kyuubi, but she would never have imagined that he could control his demon to this extent. She glanced over at the Kage's box where her father and the Hokage were seated to see if they would interfere, but neither were making any attempts to do so. Instead they seemed content to watch as the events unfolded.

"This is a joke, right?" Kankuro asked shakily. "They didn't just... the fucking _Kyuubi_..."

The keening wail finally cut off completely and the sand scattered about the arena began flowing towards a central point, quickly shaping back into the Ichibi once again. Its form towered over that of the Kyuubi, but even as Temari watched it actually backed up a step as the Kyuubi jinchuuriki continued its approach.

"**You... you... you aren't Kurama!**" the Ichibi howled. "**Who are you? **_**What**_** are you?**"

Temari didn't have time to wonder at that as the Ichibi lashed out with its single massive tail, letting loose a howl of rage as it did so. The red tails flashed out, wrapping around the Ichibi's descending tail, slowing and eventually halting its progress. Two of the tails stretched forward, wrapping around the tail near where it met the main body of the Ichibi, then all of the tails began to squeeze. The sound of cracking and shattering glass echoed throughout the stadium for a moment before it was drowned out by another scream of pain from the Ichibi.

Its entire body shuddered, the sand rippling wildly before its head reared back. After a moment it spat out another ball of air that slammed into the Kyuubi jinchuuriki and sent him tumbling across the arena. The red tails were ripped away from Ichibi's revealing deep gashes and cracks that were slowly healing over. The jinchuuriki himself bounced across the arena floor twice before hitting the opposite wall.

The battle fell into a lull for a moment, the Ichibi wobbling slightly as it focused on restoring its body while Konoha's jinchuuriki failed to immediately reappear. It didn't last long, however, as the jinchuuriki burst away from the wall in an explosion of dust and shrapnel, crossing the distance so quickly that there was a visible trail of red chakra in his wake. The red form impacted in the middle of the Ichibi's torso, hazy claws ripping and tearing at the sandy body while its tails coiled around the Ichibi's single tail again. The Ichibi fell backwards, spiky protrusions shooting out of its body and its limbs clawing at its own form as it tried to dislodge its attacker.

They continued struggling like that for several seconds, locked in an apparent stalemate before three of the tails detached from the Ichibi to rise in the air behind the jinchuuriki. The tips came together at a single point and formed a ball of chakra, which began growing and shrinking rhythmically. The Ichibi's struggles suddenly intensified to the point that Temari could feel the stadium steadily shaking under her feet, but the jinchuuriki clung on stubbornly.

Trees suddenly began sprouting out of the ground, winding around the Ichibi and reaching for the Kyuubi jinchuuriki. Temari barely had time to notice that the Ichibi's movements were slowing before the Kyuubi jinchuuriki thrust the ball of chakra forward. Branches lashed out to intercept the attack, then the air flashed white and she curled over, clutching her eyes in pain. She heard a sharp crack a moment later, the deep sound rattling her body and making her sway unsteadily for a moment.

She forced her eyes open, blinking rapidly as she tried to clear the slowly fading white blotches from her vision. She could hear other people crying out in pain and heard Kankuro cursing rapidly nearby, but her focus was on the battle below.

There was now a large wall in the middle of the arena, formed out of tree trunks that had wound around one another so tightly that there was no room to squeeze between them. On one side she could see branches curling around the Ichibi's form, and drew in a sharp breath as she noticed that its tail and one of its legs were missing. There were scorched and burning branches scattered around the area as well, though that didn't deter the trees from continuing to grow and bind the Ichibi's still form even tighter.

On the other side of the wall stood the Kyuubi jinchuuriki. His tails were sweeping back and forth and destroying any and all trees that tried to spring up around him, but he was not advancing any closer towards the Ichibi's location behind the wall of trees. He was instead pacing back and forth, his head sweeping from side to side as if just now taking stock of his surroundings. As she watched, the trees stopped trying to close in on his position, instead forming a loose ring nearly two dozen feet back from him in all directions.

Temari felt her pounding heart slowly begin to calm as the situation finally stabilized. This had to be the infamous Mokuton, the bloodline ability of the First Hokage that he had used to subdue the Tailed Beasts. She had only heard it mentioned as part of ancient history, a curiosity of the past that had no relevance in today's world, but clearly the ability was not as lost as Konoha had led the other villages to believe. Part of her was frustrated to know that Konoha had been holding such a powerful ability in reserve, possibly for decades, but most of her was relieved that they had intervened before something irreparable had happened to her brother. Or so she hoped, anyway.

The jinchuuriki abruptly froze, staring fixedly at nothing. His tails fanned out behind him, shrinking down to a length more proportional to the body and curling lazily in the air behind him. He remained like that, still as a statue, doing nothing as the seconds passed. The entire stadium seemed to be wrapped in silence, the few civilians who hadn't made a run for it or passed out cautiously picking themselves up while the ninja watched closely and waited for commands from the respective Kages.

Temari blinked as she thought she saw something pass over the jinchuuriki's form, rubbed her eyes to clear the last of the spots that interfered with her vision, then looked closer. She hadn't been imagining that after all; the jinchuuriki's current form was changing, the red hue of his chakra fading and growing darker. It was like watching rain wash away the sand from the streets as the red color bled away and streaks of black appeared, flowing down the tails and spreading across his body. In a matter of seconds his entire form had become pitch black, so dark that it seemed to be eating the light around it and growing darker still. After a few more seconds she could no longer make out the jinchuuriki's form clearly; it was like he was hidden in a deep shadow despite the sun that blazed directly overhead.

The jinchuuriki's form abruptly snapped back into focus and the red hue of his chakra returned, revealing the jinchuuriki's fox-like form as he staggered sideways and weaved about drunkenly for a moment. Once he had recovered from... whatever that was, he tilted his head back and stared upwards, an angry snarl on his canine face. His tails bristled and his entire form quivered as he opened his jaws.

Temari clapped her hands over her ears and fell backwards, curling into a ball. The sound itself was painful, even worse than the Ichibi's first scream, but the killing intent that accompanied it was infinitely worse. She forced her eyes open only to see the other ninja around her collapsing, some of her fellow contestants already unconscious and only a few of the jounin still on their feet as the terrible sound filled the stadium. Then the sound rose higher and she squeezed her eyes closed once more in a futile effort to shut it out.

She felt like her heart was being ripped out of her chest, like her skull was being crushed like a grape, like a thousand blades were slicing into her skin, like hands were clenched around her throat and squeezing, like she was burning alive and freezing to death, like every bone was stretched to the breaking point and beyond, like-

Her body went limp as she finally passed into blissful unconsciousness.

~ Scene Break ~

Kuushou slammed his youki into the seal again, sending more cracks crawling along the previously pristine walls. It was proving surprisingly resilient as it stood up to a continuous assault, but it was already reaching the breaking point. Outside, he continued to roar his refusal to remain bound to this sick and twisted world that dared replace Ryuudo with that... that _thing_.

Another push and the entire seal trembled, the cracks beginning to spread on their own as the sound of breaking glass and crumbling rocks filled the interior of the seal. One more push and he would be free of this mockery. It would take one hundred years before he could return to the human realm, but once he did there would be no more games, no more subterfuge. He would reduce every inch of the human realm to rubble if that was what it took, and there would be no mercy to any who stood in his way. He would not risk something like this happening again.

His roar took on a triumphant note as he gathered his youki and slammed it into the seal for the final time. The weakened seal shattered and-

Everything froze as something _other _descended.

He tried to leap away, tried to put some distance between himself and the thing that was manifesting, but he couldn't move at all. He was fully aware of what was happening, but even the slightest twitch was denied him. No one else seemed to be responding either, each of the numerous ninja watching him from a distance staring blankly at nothing, some even hanging in midair as they were frozen in the midst of a _shunshin _or a jump. He couldn't tell for certain if they were conscious or not, but their chakra was completely still and silent and there was no sign that they were reacting to the presence as it gathered within the arena.

The Death God finally appeared, its form mostly human with wild white hair that blended into the pure white robes it wore. Two horns jutted out from its skull, and it held a knife clenched in its teeth while its arms were spread wide. This was... not what he had expected. It was clearly the Death God, there could be no doubt of that, but it had never taken this form around him before. The other two times he had met it hadn't had a visible presence at all, instead manifesting as a sensation, the feeling of a spark of _youki _teetering on the brink of nothingness.

"Kuushou of the Bijuu," it began slowly, its words echoing in the still air, "shall be sealed within the designated vessel for as long as the vessel is capable of enduring. Upon the failure of the vessel, Kuushou of the Bijuu shall be banished once again from the human realm for a period of one hundred years. Thus is the agreement."

The Death God fell silent then, and remained so for some time. Kuushou tried to produce sounds to speak with it, tried to swipe his tails to attack it, tried to shake himself free of whatever grip it had upon him; as before, all his efforts were for naught. He could do nothing but wait for it to act.

"Thou who art bound by the Death God that is not, yet is," it finally continued, "the terms of thy binding must abide, yet the terms cannot abide. Banishment must fall upon thee, yet banishment cannot fall upon thee. The agreement cannot be broken, yet the agreement will be broken."

It fell silent for a moment, but this time only for a moment.

"The agreement must be made anew, yet no agreement may come without sacrifice."

Kuushou suddenly found that he could move, his youki curling about itself as it was freed from its restraints. The next moment his tails lanced towards the Death God only to pass harmlessly through its form. He let loose a small growl of annoyance before he settled back and stared at the emaciated figure clad in white.

Silence filled the arena, Kuushou staring at the Death God who was in turn staring at nothing, Then the feeling of _other _that the Death God exuded began to grow stronger. The air became thick and cloying, pressing down on him and resisting his every movement. He drew his youki in tighter around himself, condensing his form in an effort to fight off the pressure, though that provided little relief.

The Death God's head shifted, turning to look directly at him for the first time. When it spoke, its words no longer echoed through the air but instead reverberated through his youki, each syllable washing over him in an uncomfortable and slightly disorienting way.

"Kuushou of the Bijuu," the Death God said, no longer speaking in a simple monotone but instead with the slightest hint of curiosity, "state your desire."

Kuushou's eyes narrowed as he studied the Death God closely. He had a feeling he had Kami's attention now, and it wasn't something he relished. He chose his words very carefully now, remembering all too well how literally Kami interpreted his agreements and how easily a careless phrase could be used against the speaker.

"Why have I not been banished?" he asked slowly.

"Banishment cannot fall upon you."

"What does that _mean_? I broke the seal, I should have been sent back to Makai and been free of this... this abomination," Kuushou spat, turning to glare towards the area where the demon masquerading as his brother was bound and still.

"The agreement made in your world requires that the Death God banish you from the human realm. The human realm does not exist here, and thus you cannot be banished from it."

Kuushou's youki rippled, but he clamped down tightly on his anger and tried to keep his focus on the Death God. Freedom was within his grasp, and he wasn't about to let it slip away now.

"The human realm doesn't exist? Where is this, then?"

"You stand within the whole of my creation. This world is unsundered and exists as one, unlike your own."

Kuushou nodded slowly as things began to click into place. The differences in the Outlings, the altered history, even - he shot another disgusted glance towards the sandy form on the far side of the arena - even the presence of demons other than the Bijuu could be explained by that. If all of the realms were together from the start, rather than separated and isolated from one another, he could see how things would develop so differently. He shot another glance towards the other end of the arena, frowning darkly, then turned back to the Death God.

"Then isn't this at least partially the human realm?" Kuushou pointed out. This type of argument was really more Kounori's specialty, but he'd learned a thing or two from her over the years.

"No," the Death God said.

So much for that approach.

"I desire to be sent back to my own world," Kuushou said next, watching the Death God closely for any reaction.

"No."

He stared blankly at the Death God for a moment. "And why not?" he growled, wishing that he could actually act against this infuriating thing in any meaningful way. Even if it just _pretended _to be hurt it would still be more satisfying than having the fact that he was essentially helpless against it shoved in his face. Helplessness and weakness was for _other _beings.

"To use my power to send you back would be to unmake that which I have made - I will not agree to this," the Death God said.

Kuushou bit back a snarl of frustration, then his eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "_You_ won'tdo it, but it can be done."

"Yes," the Death God said simply.

"Will you stop someone else from doing it?"

"No."

"Then let me out of the seal and I'll do it myself," Kuushou said. He was sure he could manage it if he could bring all of his own power to bear.

"Your desire is to be free of the seal. This can be done. Now you must offer a sacrifice."

"More of your _rules_," Kuushou spat. His mind flickered back to the _Shiki Fuujin_, the technique which summoned the Death God at the cost of the user's soul. "You need a soul, don't you?" he mused. "That's the sacrifice."

The Death God didn't answer.

One of Kuushou's tails waved through the air, gesturing to the arena at large. "Pick one. I'll be _more_ than happy to feed it you." He grinned suddenly, turning towards Gaara and the demon he contained. "In fact, I'll give you _those _right now."

"To offer the soul of another is not a sacrifice; you must make a sacrifice of yourself. Your sacrifice shall instead be of service. You shall receive freedom from the seal in exchange for the soul of the one who has trespassed in my domain. Thus is the-"

"Wait!" Kuushou snapped quickly. "We're not done yet!" Kuushou shivered as the pressure the Death God gave off increased sharply for a moment, then eased back to its previous level. He eyed the Death God warily as he waited.

"Speak," it said at last.

Kuushou considered what the Death God has said carefully, looking for any potential traps or misdirections. "If I deliver the soul of the trespasser, I will be released from the seal and no longer be trapped within it in any way, shape, or form, correct? I will be completely and totally free and unrestricted?"

"Yes."

"And how am I supposed to deliver the soul? Just kill them?"

"You possess the knowledge required to call upon me. Find the trespasser and do so, and the sacrifice will be fulfilled."

Kuushou felt his anticipation growing. This wasn't immediate freedom, but it was a chance to be free of the seal without being barred from the human realm again. Once he returned to where he belonged, he would actually be in a better position than before. "Who is the trespasser?"

"The trespasser is hidden from my knowledge."

He stifled his anger again; it was frustrating but hardly surprising that Kami - or his manifestation, or whatever it was he was dealing with now - would be supremely _unhelpful _even under these circumstances. "How will I know who it is, then?" he forced out.

"The trespasser is the one who trespasses upon Death's Domain."

And with that useless bit of information, Kuushou fell silent as he searched his memory for any clues. He spent several minutes considering it, but only one thing came to mind.

"The _Shiki Fuujin_?" he asked finally. "Is the trespasser someone who has used the _Shiki Fuujin _but managed to keep their soul?" If that was the case, it was possible that person was in Konoha at this very moment. Identifying them would be a pain, but it probably wouldn't take very long to narrow it down. They would have to have access to the Forbidden Scroll, for a start...

"To call upon me is not trespass."

Kuushou lapsed into silence once more as he continued to think about what else that could mean, but could come up with no other ideas. Something that trespassed in Death's domain would probably be quite obvious when he saw it or heard about it, but with only that he had no idea where to even begin to look, or how.

"Perhaps another soul would suffice?" he suggested. "Or a hundred souls? As many as you like, even."

The pressure increased sharply again, rising higher and higher until Kuushou felt himself pressed into the ground, unable to even move his tails or push back against the force weighing on him.

"**Do not test my patience, Kuushou of the Bijuu,**" the Death God intoned harshly. "**I am bound of my own volition while **_**you **_**are bound at my whim - you would do well to remember that.**" The pressure eased, but a dull ache suffused his youki as a reminder of its passing.

Kuushou rose to his feet slowly, mastering his anger at the treatment. He took a moment to phrase his next question properly, seeking to extract as much benefit as he could from the price that was being foisted upon him. "What would be the price for freedom from the seal _and _protection from ever being sealed in the future?"

The Death God was silent for several seconds before it finally replied. "Such a price is not within your means at this time. Once you have gained your freedom, you may seek such a bargain." It fell quiet once more, then asked. "Do we have an agreement?"

Kuushou scoffed in annoyance, but slowly nodded. The Death God wasn't going to change the price, and he wasn't about to turn down a deal that could free him from the seal _without _banishing him, regardless of how he felt about it otherwise.

As soon as he nodded his assent, strange motes of light appeared around the Death God, flickering in the air like flames burning without a source. Its arms slowly drew together as one hand grasped the knife in its mouth and the other reached forward, plunging into his body. Kuushou shuddered - he couldn't actually feel the Death God's touch, but its presence grew _closer_ somehow, seeming to press on him from all sides without actually growing any stronger.

"Kuushou of the Bijuu shall be sealed within the designated vessel until the price has been met. The vessel shall not fail, for Kuushou of the Bijuu and the vessel shall be as one until the price has been met."

Kuushou's eyes widened as the Death God spoke, adding an entire section to the agreement that they had not previously discussed at all. Before he could object, however, the Death God continued.

"Thus is the agreement."

As the last word was spoken, the Death God's knife slashed through the air and through its own wrist, slicing through flesh and bone. It pulled its arm back, leaving the severed hand buried deep within Kuushou while another reformed on the end of its arm. The severed appendage rapidly dissolved, spreading out to coil around Kuushou's form even as some of the pressure faded. The Death God replaced the knife between its teeth, then slowly brought its hands together and clapped once. The sound, instead of fading, grew louder and louder until it seemed as if the very air would shake apart from the force of it.

And then Kuushou was slammed back within his container's body, reeling from the abrupt shift. He watched mutely as the cracks in the walls sealed themselves up; within moments the walls that represented his seal were once again smooth and pristine with no sign remaining of the damage he had done to them. Dark lines began spreading across the walls, delicate swirls and sharp lines digging into the surface.

"The sealing is complete," the Death God intoned. "The soul of the the trespasser shall stand in payment. Thus is the agreement."

The Death God's presence abruptly vanished and Kuushou stumbled and fell to the ground, landing flat on his face as his physical limbs refused to work properly. He frowned, focusing on the feeling of his youki circulating throughout the body even as his hands and feet twitched. There was something... different. The motions eased and became more controlled as he adjusted, and after a few seconds he managed to get his hands under him.

He felt several ninja land nearby, forming a rough ring around him while one approached and knelt next to him.

"Naruto-san?" the voice asked, the tone oddly hesitant. The ninja's chakra was coiled and ready to be unleashed at a moment's notice, and the same was true of all of the other ninja around him.

Kuushou paused in the act of lifting himself off the ground as he consciously realized his position for the first time. He was on the floor of the arena. He was on the floor of the arena because he'd just attacked Gaara and his demon, the demon he still refused to recognize as the Ichibi. He didn't care if that foul thing really was what passed for a Bijuu in this world - he would never acknowledge it as the counterpart to his brother.

He was on the floor of the arena after attacking Gaara and his demon while looking and acting like... well, like _himself._

This... could be a problem. Then again, his Ino always had a tactic prepared for occasions like this and she had perfected its use over the years.

Kuushou resumed moving, pushing himself up to his knees and then staggering to his feet, flashing a confused expression on his face before adopting a wary but non-threatening stance, his hands turned with his palms out and a guarded expression on his face. He surveyed the area carefully, his gaze lingering on sections of the arena that had sustained the most damage and spending several seconds eying the giant wall of wood that divided the arena floor.

He spotted Anko in the distance being held back by Kurenai and Asuma, both of whom looked shaken and were watching him warily. He smiled and relaxed his stance slightly as he nodded to Anko, who relaxed in turn, looking highly relieved. He then finally turned his attention to the ANBU who was standing next to him.

"What's going on?" he asked, his voice a pitch perfect mix of stifled frustration and carefully hidden confusion.

As Ino had phrased it: deny, deny, deny.

~ Scene Break ~

Danzo placed the last page back in the folder and then slowly laid it on Hiruzen's desk.

"We seem to have inherited a fine mess from our... counterparts," Danzo commented softly. "I am curious as to what drove them to it, but I suppose we'll never know for sure." He fell silent, his eyes distant and his cane occasionally tapping against the floor. "Who else knows about this?" he asked after nearly a minute of silent contemplation.

Hiruzen continued to puff idly on his pipe as he stared out of the window of the Hokage's office. "With you, there are now seven people aware of this information."

"Tenzou's placement during the exams makes more sense if he was aware," Danzo said slowly, "and I would think you would inform Jiraiya and Dragon as a matter of course. The file notes that Inoichi uncovered the problem in the first place, which would make the last... Shikaku?"

"Yes," Hiruzen replied, inclining his head slightly as he confirmed Danzo's deduction.

"You have written off Mitarashi, then?"

Hiruzen sent a small frown his way. "I do not _write off _my ninja, Danzo, as you are well aware." He sighed slightly as his gaze returned to the window. "However, I am forced to admit that Anko is too close to the situation to be informed, and would react negatively to efforts to separate her from Naruto now. Her objectivity is questionable at the best of times, and Naruto has done a great deal for her since they began partnering for missions."

Danzo twisted his cane idly in his hands as he considered Hiruzen's words. There had been a great deal of activity following the Chuunin Exams that had kept all of them rather busy. Konoha as a whole was engaged in damage control, making sure that the various guests went home with the correct spin on the events that had transpired and that anyone who had sustained minor injuries were fully healed before the end of the day. It was fortunate that the three elderly civilians who had died - none of them related to nobles - passed due to heart failure rather than physical injury. Fast action on Konoha's part had even shifted the blame for that onto Suna's jinchuuriki.

_Konoha had merely stepped in when Suna's ill-trained and unstable ninja had gone too far during his match. Konoha had acted to contain the situation and ensure that no civilians were injured in the Suna-nin's rampage. How unfortunate that the Suna-nin had caused the deaths before he could be stopped. How much worse it could have been if Konoha had not acted so quickly..._

That situation was dealt with, however, and Hiruzen would be meeting with the Kazekage directly to address further reparations for the incident. The boy's interruption, whatever the cause, had worked out very well indeed for Konoha; a show of force and a clear reminder as to why Konoha was the strongest of the Hidden Villages. Even the fact that Tenzou had been revealed had been worked into an advantage for Konoha, leaving the other villages to wonder just what _other _abilities Konoha was still keeping in reserve.

His gaze drifted back to the folder that lay on the Hokage's desk. That was not to say, however, that Konoha did not have its own problems to address.

"And what do you want from me?" Danzo asked, deciding to cut to the point of this meeting.

Hiruzen swiveled in his chair, turning to face him directly. "I have a standing mission for your 'private security force'."

Danzo's hand tightened on his cane as he worked to control his surprise. He had long suspected that Sarutobi knew ROOT was still active, if in a reduced capacity, but the veiled references and the pretense of mutual ignorance was all part of the game they had been playing for decades. The last time Hiruzen had spoken this openly was in the wake of the Kyuubi's attack and the Fourth Hokage's death.

"Your orders are as follows," Hiruzen continued, his voice firm and even. "You are to maintain a complete profile on the demonstrated and suspected capabilities of Naruto Yamanaka at all times. You are to develop strategies and techniques to neutralize or counter his abilities. You are to have at least one squad capable of combating him at the ready whenever he is present within Konoha. This standing mission will be referred to as Operation Briar Patch.

"In addition, should I or my successor give the order, you will maneuver Naruto Yamanaka into an isolated area outside of Konoha and forcibly extract the Kyuubi from his body, sealing it into a new vessel using the _Shiki Fuujin_. You will surrender the new jinchuuriki directly to the Hokage as soon as possible after the sealing has taken place. Should anyone attempt to interfere with the execution of this mission, regardless of their affiliation or status, you are hereby authorized to use whatever force you deem necessary to ensure the success of the mission. This mission will be referred to as Operation Clean Slate."

As Hiruzen finished speaking, Danzo let out a low grunt and tapped his cane on the floor of the office twice. "Resources?"

"You will receive an annual stipend directly from the Hokage for the duration of the mission. I will also give you priority for acquiring the services of any ninja you require to develop your techniques. Full-time personnel, however, will be limited to those already in your employ. If you require specific ninja or just additional numbers, I will consider assigning more ninja to this mission on a case by case basis."

"What of Tenzou?"

Hiruzen let out a low growl as he sat break in his seat. "He will be ineffective for this mission."

"So that was not a ploy, then," Danzo said, his suspicions confirmed.

"No. For reasons we have yet to determine, the Kyuubi did not react as expected in the presence of the Mokuton. Additional tests performed while Naruto was recovering have only confirmed that the Kyuubi's chakra is completely non-responsive to the Mokuton, in either a positive or negative fashion."

"And the Ichibi's words?"

"We don't know," Hiruzen admitted sourly. "I have tasked the Intelligence Division to delve deeper into the history of the Bijuu and search for any references to 'Kurama,' but so far they have found nothing. Not even the Shodai's private journal shed any light on the matter."

"What of Inoichi? Has he found anything in the boy's memories?"

The Hokage let out a small snort of amusement. "An entire book, as it turns out. The Legends of the Tailed Beasts, written roughly eighty years ago. The stories varied from simple folktales of travelers who saw one of them in the distance once to what was supposedly an account from a ninja who faced the Rokubi in combat, though it read more like the ravings of a madman. The entire book was rife with inconsistencies and contradictions; the only points the stories could agree on were that the Bijuu were only barely sentient, if at all, and that they were a danger to everyone and everything around them.

"That's assuming, of course, that the book actually existed at all and wasn't planted by the other Inoichi to mentally distance Naruto from the Kyuubi."

Danzo nodded thoughtfully as he absorbed the information. "Have we determined what triggered his loss of control?"

"We believe so," Hiruzen replied. "Anko reported that as soon as the Ichibi began fully manifesting, Naruto collapsed and the Kyuubi's chakra formed a shell around his body. Once it was out, the Kyuubi focused its attention entirely on the Ichibi to the exclusion of all else and only ceased attacking when the Ichibi was fully subdued. We also have multiple accounts, including first-hand reports from Anko and Sakura Haruno, that Naruto viewed Gaara in a negative light from the very beginning with no discernible cause except for the presence of the Ichibi within him. Sakura Haruno even quoted Naruto as describing Gaara as 'foul' and 'twisted'.

"Based on that, we have concluded that he was essentially programmed to respond immediately and aggressively to the release of other Bijuu, which has bled over into a prejudice against jinchuuriki as well. Inoichi has been unable to locate the triggers for such programming, but he also pointed out that the other Inoichi had over a decade to hone his skills and bury the triggers deep within the constructed mindscape, possibly in its very foundations. It's entirely possible that he's already seen them and didn't know them for what they were, or that he'll never find them."

"And what of his actions after the Ichibi was subdued?" Danzo asked pointedly.

Hiruzen let out a slow breath. "We don't believe that was actually the actions of the Kyuubi," he said. "When Jiraiya examined the seal afterward, he found that the design had been changed significantly."

"How so?" Danzo asked, actually leaning forward slightly. This was entirely new information to him; he had not yet had an opportunity to approach Naruto since he was released from ANBU's care.

"The seal is now entirely composed of the unknown script and no longer conforms to any known template, not even that of the _Shiki Fuujin_ which it had previously resembled. Jiraiya believes that the temporary change in the Kyuubi's chakra that caused it to appear black was a safety mechanism built into the seal which prevented the Kyuubi from breaking free. The suppression of the Kyuubi's chakra, along with Naruto's subsequent collapse would seem to support that theory. We are still trying to determine the long-term effects of the change, however."

"And Naruto? Are there any signs that he remembers his actions against the Ichibi?"

"He does not remember anything that occurred after the Ichibi made itself known. He will inevitably hear about what happened during the finals, however, even if he doesn't remember it himself, and most of the ninja who were not already aware of his status as the Kyuubi jinchuuriki have made the connection now. Inoichi is working to make sure that Naruto views the Kyuubi's actions as a weakness in the seal that allowed the Bijuu to temporarily manifest rather than a personal loss of control."

"And if he ever figures out that he actually is the Kyuubi? That 'Naruto' is nothing more than a fake personality?"

Hiruzen met his gaze grimly. "You already have your orders."

~ End Chapter ~

**A/N: As always, thanks for reading and thanks for all the reviews! **

**And thanks to the folks on the SB forums who provided feedback and suggestions for this chapter.**

**Revised 5-15-2013 - _Major _expansion of Kuushou PoV to clarify what's going on and why, as well as making the situation seem less arbitrary. Minor tweaks to phrasing and such elsewhere. **


	16. Give And Take

**A/N: ****The final scenes of the previous chapter were heavily revised, especially the scene from Kuushou's PoV. Reading them again should help clarify what happened and why.  
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"The situation has changed."

Kuushou remained silent as the Hokage spoke, feigning a slightly wary but still attentive air.

"It has long been my intent to allow you - or our own Naruto, I suppose - to grow and mature as a ninja without the reputation and responsibilities of a jinchuuriki hanging over your head. I cannot say that my efforts were entirely successful, but neither did they entirely fail. Nonetheless, your loss of control over the Bijuu within you in such a public manner means that secrecy is no longer an option."

The disapproval and disappointment were clear in the Hokage's tone, though he refrained from dwelling on that topic.

"In light of the events of the Chuunin Exams, I will be publicly announcing your status as the Kyuubi jinchuuriki. This will have many consequences, but we are here to discuss those that apply directly to you.

"First and foremost, the incident with Gaara must not happen again. You are a powerful ninja who will only grow more so in the future, but that also makes you more dangerous to your allies should you ever lose control. If you give cause for our allies - or even our enemies - to believe that you cannot control the Bijuu, it could damage relations with the other villages and even invite attacks against us through you.

"Starting immediately, you will train in how to effectively control and suppress the Bijuu sealed within you. Jiraiya will oversee the beginning of your training, and other teachers will be assigned as we deem beneficial. Unless you are away on missions or are otherwise unavailable due to official duties, you will spend a minimum of four hours every day on this training.

"This is _not _negotiable."

The Hokage's gaze was fierce and stern, further emphasizing his words. Kuushou nodded seriously, though inwardly he scoffed at the unnecessary drain on his time. On the other hand, perhaps he could use this training to determine just what had changed about his physical container following the Death God's intervention.

And _something _had changed, that much had become obvious. Ever since that moment he had felt... _off _somehow. There was no single change he could point to as the source of the feeling, nor could he find anything wrong with his control over his physical form or his youki. All the same, there was this strange sense that something was missing, or maybe that something had shifted, or possibly that there was something new that hadn't been there before.

He just couldn't pinpoint _what, _and it was beginning to irritate him. Then again, this entire situation was beginning to irritate him.

"Secondly," the Hokage continued, his tone a little softer and more concerned, "there are those among the populace who harbor... ill feelings towards the Kyuubi. Among those, there will inevitably be some who cannot tell the difference between the container and the contained, or who are simply too wrapped up in their grief and rage to care."

Kuushou's eyes narrowed as the old man spoke. If he asked him to let those fools attack him without retaliating...

"You are a ninja of Konoha, and will be afforded every right and all due respect that entails. I will make it _abundantly _clear that anyone who seeks to extract some form of misplaced revenge or _justice _will be dealt with to the full extent of the law. In the case of assault with intent to kill against a ninja of this village, that means execution. I will also remind them that in such cases you would be well within your rights - not to mention ability - to defend yourself with lethal force."

He smirked slightly as he relaxed, though he quickly returned to his more serious demeanor.

"That said, we have never had a major incident along those lines, and we will strive to make sure that remains the case. Even so, Naruto-kun, should someone attempt to attack you directly, I would prefer that you keep casualties to a minimum, if only to make the punishments more public to serve as a deterrent in the future. Demonstrating restraint would also go a long way to reassuring your fellow ninja that the incident at the Chuunin Exams will not be repeated."

The Hokage held his gaze, his face solemn as he finished.

"I understand, Hokage-sama," Kuushou replied when it became clear the Hokage was waiting for him to speak.

The Hokage nodded sharply. "Thirdly... thirdly, I'm afraid that your training to master the Bijuu within you takes priority over everything else, including my own desire to have you join ANBU. It is likely, however, that many of those who assist with your training will be current or former ANBU, so you would be wise to consider your training as a sort of extended trial. Everyone will be watching how you perform closely to measure your abilities and progress.

"Danzo has also agreed to lend his expertise to assist in this matter," he added, "as he has trained many powerful ninja in his time and will be able to provide insight into your own progress. I will also take part as time allows."

Kuushou straightened, no longer needing to feign his interest in the conversation. "Just how long do you expect this training to last?"

"We don't know, Naruto-kun," the Hokage admitted. "We have never had cause to train a jinchuuriki in the control of their Bijuu before."

Kuushou started to respond to that, then paused as the odd phrasing of that struck him. "Never had _cause_," he repeated slowly. "You have had jinchuuriki before?" They would have had to, he realized abruptly. The demon masquerading as the Kyuubi in this world was sealed during a battle with the First Hokage. They had lost control of it at some point, obviously, but they must have had it for some period of time.

"Two, actually," the Hokage said offhandedly. "The first was the wife of the First Hokage, and the second her successor. Both became jinchuuriki later in life, and neither utilized the Bijuu's power to any significant degree. The same should have been possible for yo- for Naruto, but the fact that you lost control over the Bijuu during the incident with Gaara means that is no longer an option, even aside from the different circumstances of your seal."

Kuushou kept his irritation from showing, instead plastering an annoyed and slightly contrite expression on his face. The Hokage's rebukes about losing control were wearing very thin, but he had to keep up appearances, which meant accepting them without saying a word in protest.

He took a moment to consider the information the Hokage had just provided. Only two jinchuuriki likely meant that the false Kyuubi had managed to escape at some point in the past, and then returned for revenge only to be sealed within Naruto. At least that meant that the demon usurping his title wasn't _completely _worthless. The Fourth had been a surprisingly effective ninja, and if the demon had underestimated him - and Konoha in general - just like he himself had... well, it wasn't strange that the pretender would be captured in that situation.

"Where does that leave me while I'm undergoing the training, then?" he asked, his curiosity on that topic satisfied.

"I was hoping," the Hokage said, "that you would continue instructing your students. Your efforts have produced positive results across the board, even if your methods have been unpopular in some quarters. Your work with Hinata Hyuuga and Sakura Haruno in particular has drawn quite a lot of interest. Speaking of which," he said smoothly as his face became a little more animated, "I can't say that I've ever seen a technique quite like the one Haruno employed during her bout."

"Actually," Kuushou corrected with an amused grin, "you _have_ seen it before."

The Hokage's eyes went distant as he began reviewing his memories again. "I don't think..."

"I gave the basis of the technique to Sakura as an experiment, to see if her rather impressive chakra control could produce anything useful. I myself first observed it approximately one month ago, when we both got an up close look at how a master employed it, or at least a version of it."

Sarutobi's eyes widened briefly. "Orochimaru's escape technique. You managed to learn it merely by _observing_ it?"

Kuushou shook his head. "Learned is far too strong a word. I... stole the basic concept of part of the technique, perhaps. I still have no idea how Orochimaru employed it to move so rapidly through a dense forest. I personally am unable to control the distance covered with any precision, and neither Sakura nor I can change course once the technique has been activated.

"Despite these challenges, Sakura seems to have taken the _shukuchi_ and successfully made it her own."

"The _shukuchi_?" the Hokage repeated curiously. He hummed thoughtfully for a moment, then nodded. "A fitting name from what I have seen. And it can be employed with either the feet or the hands - very flexible. I'd be interested in learning this technique myself."

Kuushou blinked as he processed the Hokage's last words. "The hands? What do you mean, the hands?"

The Hokage looked at him, a slightly confused expression on his face. "Towards the end of the fight with Gaara, I personally observed Haruno employ the _shukuchi _with one hand, placing it against the arena wall and launching herself into the air. Was that some other technique instead?"

"Did she now?" Kuushou mused to himself. It seemed Sakura had been holding out on him, or perhaps her desperation had inspired her to new heights; either way, he would be getting the details of that from her very soon.

He returned his attention to the Hokage, who was watching him with a thoughtful expression. "I was not aware that she could use the _shukuchi_ in that manner, but even without that she is more effective with the technique than I am. For me, it's little different from a _shunshin_, and less controlled."

"All the more reason for you to continue teaching," the Hokage said, nodding. "Haruno was rated among the weakest in terms of combat potential, but now she has progressed to the point where she can operate effectively against Suna's jinchuuriki for a short time; animpressive feat for _any_ genin. While not quite as extreme a change, there are also few who would have picked Hinata Hyuuga to overcome Sasuke Uchiha in their match."

The Hokage smirked slightly, amusement leaking into his tone as he continued. "Shoving a needle through an opponent's nose isn'tthe most unusual strategy I have seen, but it's certainly up there. Most of the ninja I've heard comment on the match seem to think the Uchiha is lucky she didn't take out one of his eyes instead."

"Her aim was a little off," Kuushou deadpanned, drawing a sharp bark of laughter from the Hokage.

The room settled into an easy silence as the Hokage idly flipped through some of the documents on his desk, allowing Kuushou time to gather his thoughts. Teaching the Clan Kids was an interesting diversion that had yielded some unexpected benefits - possibly even more once he interrogated Sakura on what she had done - but it certainly wasn't what he wanted to do long-term.

The demon inside Gaara was not Ryuudo, whatever the people here called it, and it seemed abundantly clear that the rest of the Bijuu - the _real _Bijuu - did not exist here either. All of his focus was now on tracking down this "trespasser" the Death God had spoken of and offering up their soul. Once he had done that, he would be free of his seal and see about leaving this wretched world... or perhaps taking up the Death God on his implication that he could acquire immunity from sealing through another deal.

He still needed information to determine who or what the trespasser could be, however. That meant either wandering the Elemental Nations with even less direction that he would have had attempting to find his brethren, or making use of Konoha's spy network to do most of the work for him. Trespassing could imply many things, but with the level of paranoia and the accompanying focus on gathering information on their enemies, odds were high that Konoha would have a reference to such a ninja _somewhere_ in their files.

Gaining access to them would be an entirely different matter.

He laughed internally as he realized his plan was still much the same, despite the very different goal.

"What will happen once I've proven that I can keep the Kyuubi under control?" Kuushou asked finally.

The Hokage leaned back in his chair. "By the time that happens, your identity will be well known across the Elemental Nations." He smiled grimly. "At that point, I'd like you to take a few high profile missions to give the rest of the villages an idea of what you're capable of."

Kuushou's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You mean..."

"I'm sure we can find some situation where you would be perfectly justified in cutting loose and reminding everyone _exactly_ why the Kyuubi is considered the most powerful and dangerous of the Bijuu."

~ Scene Break ~

Kuushou slowly walked out of the Hokage's Tower, his thoughts occupied with the conversation that had just ended and its potential ramifications. The Hokage's abrupt shift on his entry into ANBU was the part that concerned him the most, but it wasn't entirely unexpected. Konoha - this Konoha in particular - had a very negative history with demons. The demon masquerading as him had caused quite a lot of damage when it attacked, and the village still bore the scars of that. With that in mind, he could understand why the Hokage would be especially cautious in this case.

It certainly was annoying, however.

As he reached the street, his attention drifted to the ninja and civilians making their way around him. Some of the civilians were watching him warily out of the corners of their eyes while others walked faster as they neared him. The ninja weren't so obvious about it, but there was a sense of anticipation and curiosity in their gazes. One of the jounin nodded to him as he walked past, his lips quirking into what could have been a smile.

Then his attention shifted to another jounin who had planted himself directly in his path.

"Good morning, Hatake-san," Kuushou said, nodding respectfully to the veteran jounin. They hadn't interacted much, and what little time they had spent together concerned either his abilities or his training of Kakashi's students.

"We need to talk," Kakashi said shortly, projecting a serious air while his one visible eye focused solely on him.

"Lead the way," Kuushou shrugged, motioning towards Kakashi.

Kakashi led them to one of the main training grounds, wending his way through the trees and coming to stop in front of a large stone situated in the middle of the training ground. There were small bundles of flowers and stalks of incense scattered around the base of the stone, which had dozens of names carved into it.

"This is the Memorial Stone," Kakashi said, his voice solemn. "The names of Konoha's heroes are carved into it, to be remembered and respected by future generations."

Kuushou nodded as if he understood what the hell Kakashi was getting at with this. He added a small gesture of respect, clapping his hands together twice as he bowed his head towards the stone.

When he looked up, Kakashi was in his face, his headband pulled aside and his Sharingan eye fully exposed.

"My teacher's name is on this stone," he said, his voice wound tighter than a coil of wire and deathly cold. "My teammates' names are on this stone. My friends' names are on this stone. The ones responsible for that are either dead or wish they were."

Kakashi brought up one hand to Kuushou's shoulder and gripped it tightly.

"The names on this stone represent ninja who fell in the line of duty, protecting their comrades and Konoha."

Kakashi's hand tightened even further.

"They did _not _throw away their lives in meaningless battles against ninja they had no business fighting. Their sacrifices had _purpose, _had _meaning_."

There was a brief spike of killing intent before Kakashi released him, turning to face the stone and falling silent for several seconds. His tone was much more controlled when he resumed speaking, though no less harsh.

"Sakura was not ready for that fight. She had no business attempting to face Gaara at all, but _you _convinced her to walk into a cage with him, armed with nothing but an unproven technique and sleeping gas. I trusted that you would continue to train and help her while I focused on Sasuke for a time, not-"

Kakashi cut himself off, then turned his head to expose his Sharingan eye. The _tomoe _were spinning rapidly and the pupil had contracted until it was little more than a dot.

"She survived out of sheer _luck_," he spat, "and barely survived at all. I had to stand back and watch helplessly as the med-nin scrambled to save my _student _while she bled out because _you_-" Kakashi shook for a moment and his killing intent spiked again, though he quickly clamped down on it. Emotions flickered over Kakashi's face, rage and grief chief among them, before he turned to face the Memorial Stone again and fell silent.

"Have you actually talked to Sakura about this, or have you just decided to blame everything on me to make yourself feel better?" Kuushou asked idly.

Kakashi whirled, an incredulous expression on his face.

"Blame, then," he continued, nodding to himself. "What is it that you're actually blaming me _for_, though, that is-"

"That's all you have to say for yourself?" Kakashi interrupted in disbelief. "Do you even _care _that you almost got Sakura killed?"

"Do I care that Sakura almost died? Absolutely. Do I feel personally responsible for that? Quite the opposite, actually: the training I gave her is the reason she is still alive."

Kakashi's hands clenched. "She would never have been in danger at all if you didn't convince her to do this!"

"Sakura _wanted _to fight Gaara, Hatake-san," Kuushou pointed out. "I didn't convince her of anything. She asked for training specifically for her match with Gaara, and so I trained her."

"_Why_?" the jounin half-shouted as he stepped closer. "_Why _would you train her to fight Gaara? That boy is _insane_! He would have gladly slaughtered her for no reason at all!"

"But he didn't, did he?" Kuushou countered, satisfaction creeping into his voice. "If it hadn't been for an unexpected... _complication_," he spat, his face twisting as he recalled the demon that Gaara had unleashed, "she would have won that bout without Gaara laying so much as a finger on her. I gave her the tools she needed to survive, true, but she exceeded even my expectations in that fight."

"And that somehow makes risking my student _worth _it?"

Kuushou paused and cocked his head to the side as he studied Kakashi. "I think I see what Sakura meant, now," he muttered.

Kakashi grew very still. "Meant by what?" he asked, the tension practically dripping from his voice.

"You really don't respect her at all, do you?"

"Did _she_ say that?" Kakashi pressed. "Is that what she thinks?"

"Not in so many words," he shrugged, "though she did say something about how she wasn't 'useless'."

The jounin actually flinched, but didn't say anything as Kuushou continued.

"However, listening to you talk about her and what she has done, I can't draw any other conclusion," he said. He shook his head in mock sadness. "After all, not once in this entire... conversation, let's call it, have you given her credit for a single action or decision of her own. Even the Hokage was impressed by the technique she learned and applied to great effect, but you... you act as if she was a puppet dancing while I pulled the strings."

Kakashi's face darkened. "When I talked to her after the preliminaries, she understood and agreed that she should forfeit her match with Gaara. She wasn't happy about it, but she knew that the risk simply wasn't worth it.

"Then I come back to find that after spending a month with _you_, she's convinced that I abandoned her and that _you _are the only one who actually cares about her."

Kuushou sighed, stifling his irritation. "I have not attempted to manipulate Sakura against you, Hatake-san, nor did I pressure her into fighting Gaara against her will. To be completely blunt, your name barely even came up. Sakura was focused on growing stronger as a ninja and preparing to face Gaara because she believed she could find a way to win, and the results speak for themselves."

"Yes, they do," the jounin replied coldly. "Sakura nearly died and _I _was the one who had to save her." He stepped closer, looming over Kuushou as his gaze bored into him. "And if one of my students ever dies because someone else pushed them into a battle they had no business fighting, I'll do everything in my power to make sure that the ones responsible are dead...

"Or wish they were."

His threat delivered and punctuated with a small burst of killing intent, Kakashi vanished in a swirl of leaves.

~ Scene Break ~

An hour later, Kuushou knocked on the door to room 214, most of his attention focused on the chakra signature that lay within.

"Come in," came the soft reply.

He opened the door and stepped in quietly, sliding the door shut behind him. The sole occupant of the room was propped up on her bed, several pillows supporting her back and her lower body covered by a thin blanket. The window next to her was wide open, letting in the sounds of the bustling streets outside as well as a cool wind that flowed across the flowers that dotted the hospital room.

"Is it already time for-" Sakura started to ask, setting aside the book she had been reading before looking up. A startled expression crossed her face when she saw who had entered the room. "O-oh, Naruto. It's, uh, thank you for coming," she settled on finally, shifting slightly on the bed as she smoothed out the blanket covering her legs.

"Were you expecting someone else?" he asked, his lips quirking into a small grin.

"I wasn't expecting anyone, really," she answered, glancing around the room. "My parents are at work and everybody else I know is already back out on training and missions." Her expression dimmed as she spoke, but she recovered quickly and shot him a bright smile. "Please, have a seat," she continued, motioning to the chair positioned next to her bed.

Kuushou nodded and took the offered seat, only pausing a moment to examine the large bouquet of flowers that occupied the end table at Sakura's side. He had inevitably learned quite a lot about flowers growing up in the Yamanaka household, and he recognized Kiku Yamanaka's hand in the arrangement.

He looked back at Sakura, mouth opening to ask a question, only to get cut off when she raised her hand.

"I-" she paused, swallowed thickly, then continued, "I wanted to tell you something. It's been on my mind ever since I woke up in the hospital, and I just- I need to get this out, alright?"

Kuushou slowly leaned back in the chair, nodding at Sakura to continue. He wasn't at all sure what she was about to say, and found that he was quite curious as to where this was going.

"Thanks," she said before drawing in a deep breath. "I almost died," she began bluntly, her eyes losing focus as she stared into the distance. "I barely remember what happened before- before I got disqualified, but I remember that much. I've heard about what happened, with Gaara and... and you, but at the time I just remember my leg hurting, and then everything going fuzzy."

She laid her hand on top of her right leg softly, and Kuushou noted that the skin from her wrist down was markedly paler than the rest of her arm.

"Gaara was... he was every bit as dangerous as everyone said he was, maybe even more so. If I'd known back during the preliminaries just what I was getting into, just how much more he could do than what he had shown in that short match, I... I think I _would _have quit, just like everyone kept telling me to." She was staring down at her lap now, her hands clutching at the blanket and shaking slightly.

Kuushou kept his frown from showing, but couldn't keep from narrowing his eyes slightly at Sakura. It seemed her brush with death had changed her outlook significantly, and not in a positive direction. He doubted she would agree to his request if she blamed him for almost getting her killed. Perhaps Kakashi _had _talked to Sakura before confronting him after all.

She finally turned to look at him, her eyes watering slightly as she continued. "But I didn't, because you offered me a chance. Because you told me that there _was _a way I could win, that there _was _a chance for me to beat the genin everyone was sure would wipe the floor with me without even trying. I put up with all the training, all the pain, kept ignoring what everyone else was saying because I was so focused on that chance..."

Tears started flowing down her face and she sniffed loudly as she scrubbed one arm across her eyes. "Sorry," she said, her voice breaking. "I don't mean to- it's just-"

Kuushou waited quietly, pondering the complications this would cause in the long run. He already knew that Kakashi was furious with him - a fact the jounin had made abundantly clear earlier - though most of the ninja who had expressed their opinions were more neutral on the matter. Anko, of course, had been there from the start and made her opinion clear long ago - if anything, she had been impressed that Sakura had done as well as she had, and had even given out a backhanded compliment or two for the pink-haired genin.

Sakura drew in a shuddering breath and scrubbed her hands over her face. "Sorry," she said again. "I just- I don't know how I can thank you for-"

"_Thank me?_" Kuushou asked in surprise as he was pulled out of his thoughts. "For what?" Hadn't she been about to blame him for her near-death experience? That was certainly what it had sounded like, up to this point.

Sakura looked at him incredulously, her tears momentarily forgotten. "For being the only one who thought I could do it!" she responded. "For pushing me to become a better kunoichi! For letting me prove to myself - to _everyone _- that I'm really not useless!"

Kuushou stared at her in bemusement. "I wouldn't have wasted my time on you if you really were useless," he pointed out.

"You-" she choked back a sob, her arm scrubbing across her eyes again. "That's why," she managed to say, "that's exactly why. It's just so- like it's a _fact_."

He met her gaze calmly, an amused expression on his face. "You think you managed to learn and improve on the _shukuchi _over the course of a month because you got lucky?"

She stared at him for a few seconds, her jaw working and her lips trembling, before she finally lost her composure completely. She folded over, her arms wrapping around herself and her entire frame shaking as she cried.

Kuushou watched her, going over the conversation again and trying to figure out exactly why Sakura was acting like this, before he frowned. Regardless of the reasons, he knew his Ino would have been pissed at him for upsetting Sakura and would have in all likelihood already stepped in to handle the situation herself by now. Short of that, she would have told him not to just let her sit there alone like that.

Grimacing slightly, he rose from his chair and moved over to the bed, sitting on the edge. He reached out and wrapped one arm around her shoulders, unable to stop from recalling the occasions he had done the same for Ino and feeling a sharp pang of loss. Sakura twisted slightly, turning into his embrace and resting her head on his chest as she bawled.

He remained still for several minutes as she cried, rubbing small circles on her back and not saying anything as he waited for her to calm down. When she finally did, straightening up and scrubbing at her face, she said quietly, "Thank you. For... everything."

"You're welcome," he replied simply, shifting back to his chair and absently drying off his shirt from where her tears had soaked through. "So when can I expect your training to resume?"

For a moment he thought she was going to start crying again, but she swallowed thickly and managed to keep herself together. "I- I don't know," she finally said. "I can't-" she paused to take a deep breath, then continued, "I can't actually walk right now," she admitted, pasting a trembling smile on her face. "The doctor has been really vague about how long I'll- I'll be like this, which-" she broke off, scrubbing at her face again.

"You think I'm going to let you go on vacation after what you managed to pull off during the match?" Kuushou interrupted, frowning at her. He wanted to know just what she'd done towards the end of her match, as well as gauge her progress in the technique in general and begin trying to apply it for his own use. He couldn't do that if she insisted on remaining in the hospital.

Sakura paused in the act of wiping her reddened eyes, looking up at him with a shocked expression. Her expression cleared after a moment, and she gave him a small smile. "Thanks for that," she said softly, wiping at her eyes again. "You're right. I'm sure it won't be as long as I fear, or as bad. It can't be any worse than your training, after all!" she finished, laughing softly.

"What precisely is the problem?" Kuushou asked, his eyes narrowed in thought.

Sakura's expression dimmed before she forced her face back into a smile. "Apparently the Ichibi's attack," Kuushou suppressed a twitch at the name as Sakura continued, "destroyed most of the muscles and tendons in my upper leg. They say it will be a while still before I've healed enough that I can begin building up my strength again." Her smile wavered slightly as her eyes grew moist. "They s-say if everything goes well, I might be starting to walk again in a m-month," she finished.

Kuushou frowned slightly, his eyes narrowing in thought. The injuries she described would require a recovery period, true, but the time frame didn't sound right at all. Surely the staff here would have... ah.

Shizune had never run the med-nin program in this world, had she?

"Do you mind if I take a look?" Kuushou asked.

Sakura stared at him for a moment, her mouth opening to say something before she stopped herself and shook her head. "They did a really good job, actually," she said, shifting the blankets slightly to expose her right leg up to above her knee. "There won't be any scarring at all, they said," she continued, her eyes drifting down to her leg. There was a small brace that kept her leg straightened out and immobilized, but other than that there were no bandages or even a cast.

Kuushou scoffed slightly in irritation, then tossed aside the blankets covering the rest Sakura's wounded leg.

"Wha-" Sakura gasped, her face flushing beet red.

He ignored her indignant protests as he leaned in to examine the damage more closely. There was a long strip of noticeably paler flesh along her thigh, curving from just above her knee nearly to her waist, vanishing under the pair of shorts she was wearing. He looked up in irritation when Sakura jerked the covers back over her leg.

"What are you _doing_?" she hissed, her embarrassment swiftly turning into anger.

"I _am _a med-nin, in case you've forgotten. I'd rather take a look at just what they've done - and _haven't _done - for myself." With that said, he reached out and moved the blanket aside again before laying one hand on top of the paler skin that signified the place where the wound had been, his eyes losing focus as he shifted his attention.

As Sakura had reported, most the damage had been corrected and the arteries and veins in particular restored to very good condition. The repairs to the muscles and tendons, on the other hand, were surprisingly incomplete. There was no sign at all that they had performed contractive therapy on the muscles following their repair and reattachment, and the tendons were significantly looser than they should have been.

The time frame she spoke of made sense with that as the base of her recovery. He wasn't about to wait that long, though.

"Ah, Naru- ... ahem," Mareko's voice said as she walked into the room. Sakura squeaked in embarrassment as she looked up at the doctor, her hands pulling the blankets over to cover her leg again. Kuushou looked up in annoyance, withdrawing his hand as his examination of Sakura's leg was interrupted.

"I heard you had come to visit your... _friend_, Naruto-san," Mareko said, her voice tinged with amusement as a small smile played across her face. "I hope I didn't interrupt anything," she continued, her voice turning more serious. "I'm sure I don't need to remind a med-nin such as yourself that Sakura-san's leg should be kept immobilized."

"We weren't- we're not- he wasn't- he was just looking!" Sakura finally yelled as her blush intensified.

Kuushou shot Sakura an annoyed glance, then shook his head before turning his attention to Mareko who was fighting to hide her amusement.

"Are you in charge of Sakura's care?"

"I am, Naruto-san," she said, turning more serious. "I can give you a full update if you would li-

Kuushou held up a hand, cutting off Mareko's offer. Normally, he would have just gone ahead and taken care of the problems he had found in Sakura's leg already, but the Hokage's rant about _permission _and _proper channels _following his work on Anko was still fresh in his mind and he wasn't about to draw even more attention to himself for ignoring the old man's demands.

"I would like to apply certain techniques that would greatly accelerate Sakura's recovery period. As you are her primary med-nin, I am hereby asking you for permission to do so." And somehow he managed to choke that out with a straight face; Ino would have been laughing her head off at that.

Sakura finally snapped out of her embarrassed state to gape at him while Mareko's eyes lit up and a wide grin bloomed on her face. There was a certain smug cast to it that made him think she had been waiting for this very thing. Given how annoyingly persistent she had been up to this point, it wouldn't have surprised him at all if she had been.

"I would need to fully understand those techniques before I could approve them, Naruto-san," she said smoothly, still grinning. "As a fellow med-nin I'm sure you can understand that. However, it just so happens that my calendar is open for the rest of the day, so I am free to hear about these techniques whenever you have time."

"Now would be best," Kuushou said, nodding sharply. It was a small sacrifice to speed things along; Mareko's agreement was a foregone conclusion at this point, she was just angling to pull another technique out of him and wasn't going to waste this chance. Once he had explained what the techniques did and how they worked, he could then return and apply them to Sakura, which would have her back on her feet within the day. Not in perfect health, granted, but more than well enough for his purposes.

"I believe the Senju Auditorium is available, if you would like to move there, Naruto-san," Mareko commented as she moved to the door and signaled someone outside. The Senju Auditorium was the largest room in the hospital, designed to be the primary meeting room and lecture hall for the med-nins that worked - and on occasion lived - at the hospital. It could hold a hundred people easily, and was far larger than necessary for just the two of them.

_If_ it was just the two of them. The chakra signatures beginning to converge on that room suggested otherwise.

"Well played," he said, tilting his head slightly towards her.

Mareko just smirked in response.

~ Scene Break ~

"I really hope I get to meet your teacher some day, Naruto-san. You say that she developed some of these jutsu as a _side project_?"

Kuushou nodded in reply as they walked down the hall towards room 214. "Yes. She was helping me with my research into muscular augmentation and decided to explore some of the other potential applications on her own time. She came back a few months later with several techniques that became standard practice."

Mareko made a sound that was somewhere between a growl and a whimper. "And Hokage-sama still insists that you cannot reveal her identity? Most of us are convinced that you studied with Tsunade-sama herself, so it's not like you would tell us anything we didn't already know..." she said leadingly.

Kuushou paused, looking thoughtful for a moment. He glanced up and down the hall, then leaned in closer. "Just between you and me," he began quietly. Mareko leaned in, her eyes burning with eager curiosity. "I... have been ordered not to say."

She huffed and shook her head in annoyance. "Fine then, be that way," she pouted.

"However," Kuushou added with a smirk, "if you were to make a bet, smart money would be on _not _Tsunade."

Mareko looked genuinely shocked for a moment, then thoughtful. Then she began to smile widely. "Thank you, Naruto-san," she said. "I will most certainly keep that in mind."

Kuushou smirked as he slid open the door to Sakura's room. The windows were still open and it looked like a few more vases of flowers had appeared while he was away, but the girl herself was sound asleep. She was propped up against a small pile of pillows, a book laying half-open in her lap as her head drooped down against her chest.

Her head suddenly shot up as they entered the room, her eyes looking around wildly for a moment before her confusion cleared and she focused on the two who had just entered.

"Naruto!" she called out. "Where did you go earlier?"

Mareko stepped forward smoothly, her voice shifting to a soothing tone as she spoke. "That's my fault, Sakura-san," she explained. "Naruto-san has access to some... unusual knowledge thanks to his prior training, and he was educating myself and some of my colleagues on what he was taught."

Sakura nodded slowly, her eyes drifting between Mareko and Kuushou. "I thought that's what you were discussing before you left, but... is there really something he can do for my leg?" she was trying to hide the yearning in her voice, though she wasn't quite successful.

"That is what we need to discuss, Sakura-san," Mareko continued. "Based on Naruto-san's explanation and my own experience, the theory is sound. He assures me that the technique has been employed successfully on a number of patients and I have no reason to doubt him. However, this would still be classed as an experimental procedure. Given that, as well as the fact that you are due to make a full recovery even without this treatment, I must ask you to consider your options carefully. You may discuss this with anyone you wish, but as you are a ninja in service to Konoha the decision ultimately lies with you."

Sakura adopted a serious expression as she squared her shoulders.

"Can this technique hurt me?" she asked.

Mareko glanced over at him, declining to answer herself, and so Kuushou replied simply, "No."

"What will it do?" Sakura asked next, focusing solely on him.

"Put simply, it will rebuild and strengthen your muscles in the damaged area, simulating multiple normal therapy sessions at once and using your own chakra to smooth out the strain."

Sakura's brow furrowed for a moment. "Wouldn't that burn through a lot of energy?" she asked.

Kuushou nodded. "It does, yes, which is why it's usually spread out over multiple sessions and used on otherwise healthy patients. Too much too quickly and either the med-nin or the patient can approach chakra exhaustion, not to mention the strain on the rest of your system.

"The results also aren't perfect, so it will still take some time exercising normally to develop the proper muscle tone and distribution compared to the rest of your body. Nonetheless, the end result is that you will be restored to something approaching normal functioning in a fraction of the usual time and will be able to handle the rest of your therapy at a much faster pace."

"How soon?" she asked eagerly. "How soon could I be walking, I mean."

"Depending on how much healing is required and who performs the technique... three days on the outside."

Her eyes widened in shock. "Three _days_?" she squeaked. She turned to Mareko. "I thought you said it'd be weeks!"

"Following the normal recovery program, it would. We did not have access to Naruto-san's knowledge at the time, and _technically _the results are still unproven."

"Do it," Sakura said firmly, her eyes narrowed.

Mareko cleared her throat. "I realize that the benefits are enticing, but you should still avoid making a has-"

"This is your technique, right?" Sakura said, turning to Kuushou as she tuned out Mareko. "Will it work? _Really _work?"

"I've used it on myself," Kuushou said simply, meeting Sakura's gaze calmly. The fact that he used it augmented by his own youki to levels that would be lethal in most ninja was neither here nor there.

Sakura drew in a deep breath. "I trust you. Do it."

~ Scene Break ~

Kuushou had barely made it out of the hospital before an ANBU approached him.

"Yamanaka-san, the Hokage has requested your presence."

He turned to face the messenger - Lion, judging by the mask - and eyed him curiously for a moment before shrugging. "Lead the way."

Lion nodded sharply and turned, taking to the rooftops before heading straight for the Hokage Tower. Kuushou kept pace, focusing his attention on sensing out who was currently speaking with the Hokage.

He could make out Kakashi, Asuma, Kurenai, and Gai, along with several other ninja, leaving the office, and Anko heading towards it. Ibiki was already waiting inside, and a few other ninja whose signatures he vaguely recognized from the various phases of the Chuunin Exams, including the proctor... Haya-something or other.

With that group and himself, there was really only one thing this meeting could be about.

Lion accompanied him all the way to the Hokage's office before leaving him at the door and disappearing. The secretary motioned for him to enter, telling him that he was expected.

"Ah, Naruto-kun, just in time," the Hokage greeted as Kuushou closed the door behind him.

Anko shot to her feet and crossed the room in an instant, picking him up by his collar and holding his face level with her own.

"_Where _have you _been_?" she growled lowly, scowling at him menacingly. "You were released from ANBU and then just _disappeared_. You weren't at your apartment, you weren't in the Forest, you weren't at your usual training ground..."

He stared at her for a moment, surprised at her intensity, then frowned slightly. "I've been here or at the hospital for most of the day, actually. I didn't realize you were looking for me."

"Didn't-" Anko's eyes widened before she cut herself off. "After what happened to you at the finals, you didn't think I would-"

She was interrupted by a very insistent cough from the Hokage, who was watching them with an amused expression on his face. The others in the room were a toss up between even more openly amused than the Hokage and faintly irritated at the delay.

"Sorry, Hokage-sama," Anko said contritely, wincing. She turned back to him with another glare as she mouthed "Later," before she dropped him. She stepped back and swept the rest of the room with a sharp glare. Ibiki met her glare with a smirk, but the rest quickly shifted their attention back to the Hokage.

"As I was saying," the Hokage continued, "I have called you all here to get your observations on the Chuunin candidates. I have already gathered the final feedback from the assorted jounin instructors, but each of you have had a chance to interact with or observe the genin in the course of your duties; some more than others," he added, his gaze lingering on Kuushou.

"The unusual end to the finals," Ibiki and the Hokage were the only ones who didn't shift to look directly at him at those words, "means that we have somewhat less information on the more powerful combatants among the group, but overall we should still have enough to determine who among the genin qualifies for advancement.

"We'll start with you, Ichi-kun," the Hokage said, nodding to one of the ninja Kuushou only vaguely recalled.

The general focus was on those genin who had made it all the way to the finals, although the observers for the second phase singled out Shikamaru and Tenten as well; the latter for her impressive command of traps and use of defensive terrain. Ibiki's own input was much more to the point.

"The Aburame performed acceptably," he said, giving out the highest praise a genin was likely to ever get from him. "The Hyuuga girl showed more spine than I expected and the Nara carried his team well. The Yamanaka wouldn't know subtlety if it smacked her in the head, and Haruno treated it like it really was a written exam. None of the others really stood out one way or the other."

The Hokage made a few notes before he motioned for Anko to speak.

"I didn't think much of her through my test, but Pinkie surprised the hell outta me this last month, and especially during her match with Gaara. She went up against the Ichibi and made it out alive; I wouldn't have figured that for _any_ of them going into it."

Kuushou carefully kept the snarl off of his face at Anko referring to that thing as the Ichibi, though he still drew several glances. The others nodded in agreement, reiterating their own comments about Sakura's performance and a question or two about the technique she had been using.

"Sakura Haruno's performance took _most _of us by surprise," the Hokage commented, his eyes cutting towards Kuushou. "Your input has been noted, but there are still other candidates to address," he prompted, turning back to Anko.

"Neji Hyuuga didn't show anything we didn't already know," Anko resumed, shrugging, "but Hinata pulled a fast one on the Uchiha - gave him a nose piercing while she was at it, from what I hear."

The wide grin on her face showed exactly what she thought of that.

"That alone gets my nod," she continued. "As for the others... the Nara kid came damn close to beating the Uchiha in the prelims, and from where I was standing it came down to luck that he didn't. The Uchiha's almost as bad as Neji about that stick shoved up his ass, but the kid's got skills; _almost _beating him says a lot on its own.

"And the rest?" she shrugged. "Nothin' really stood out."

"Thank you, Anko-chan," the Hokage nodded, making several more notes on his scroll. He finally turned to Kuushou.

"Aside from their jounin instructors, Naruto-kun, you have probably spent the most time with some of the candidates in a one on one setting. What is your opinion?"

Kuushou nodded slowly. "When I first began teaching her, Sakura lacked any real direction or drive. Her decision to push herself over the last month and do her best to overcome Gaara has convinced me that is no longer the case. If she continues to improve in her usage of the _shukuchi _and learns to incorporate it into her combat style, I have no doubt that her combat rating will rapidly improve.

"Hinata deliberately underplayed her utility with the chakra strings to trap Sasuke during their match, which to me shows that she can set aside her own pride and adapt as needed. Once she agreed to continue training with me of her own accord, her focus and determination have never wavered.

"Sasuke is just as dedicated - enthusiastic, even - but is driven by his pride; Hinata proved that it can be used against him with minimal effort. Still, I would rate him the highest among the genin I teach in terms of current combat ability, despite his loss in the finals. I don't have concerns about the motivations for the others, but...

"Shikamaru is sharp, but he's too quick to cede the initiative in a fight. Shino is competent across the board, but he works best with someone else to draw attention away from him and his _kikaichuu_.

"Kiba only has half of Sasuke's pride issues, but also half of his ability and none of his patience. Chouji is becoming very skilled with his family's techniques, but is almost purely straightforward in battle without Shika to call the shots.

"Neji has the same problems as Sasuke. Lee fell for Sakura's - admittedly subtle - genjutsu without even realizing it, even though he knew she was his opponent and should have been on his guard; his power is meaningless if he's that easy to disable. From what I saw while in Wave, Tenten is the glue that holds that team together, though she isn't quite up to their level when it comes to combat."

Kuushou reviewed his mental list, then nodded sharply, indicating that he was done.

The Hokage continued writing for several seconds before he scanned his notes and looked up. "And Ino Yamanaka?"

Kuushou twitched. "Is not ready," he replied succinctly, keeping his expression blank.

The Hokage eyed him for a moment before he made another note. "Very well. Do any of you have anything further to add?"

The rest of the ninja shook their heads.

"In that case, I have everything I need. Thank you for your time. You are dismissed."

At his words, the ninja began filing out of the room. Kuushou hadn't even made it two steps, however, before Anko looped an arm around his neck.

"You're coming with me, Blondie."

~ Scene Break ~

Anko was staring at him intently as they settled into his living room. She was too agitated to lounge on the couch as she normally did, instead pacing back and forth in front of the long marble table that held his sealing supplies. She paused several times, raising one hand in the air for a moment before shaking her head and resuming her pacing. She did that twice more before she let out a frustrated yell and threw her hands up in the air.

"Fuck!" she snapped. "Look, I'm shit at this kind of stuff, alright? Just- when... _fuck! _I was worried, dammit!" she finally forced out, looking as if the admission physically pained her. She continued before Kuushou had a chance to reply.

"Everything was going so great - that piece of shit was finally dead and gone, my seal was removed, I was even picked by the Snakes as the fucking _Summoner_ - but I just _knew _in the back of my head that it couldn't last. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, knowing that something would come along to finally fuck everything up and put it all back to normal.

"Then that Gaara shit let the Ichibi out, and you collapsed and the Kyuubi showed up and started going crazy and when I actually had a moment to stop and breathe I thought yeah, there it was, right on schedule! But then the Kyuubi _stopped _and you were still you and I just..."

She trailed off, tilting her head back as she stared at the ceiling and swallowed thickly. After a few seconds, she looked back at him with a faint look of worry on her face.

"You are ok, right? You aren't dying or going crazy or have Bijuu cancer or some shit, right? That's not why you were in the hospital, is it?"

Kuushou stared at her. "_Bijuu cancer_? Really?"

"The fuck do I know?" she snapped. "I've seen two jinchuuriki ever! One's a fucking psycho and the other just had his Bijuu go fucking nuts in the middle of Konoha! For all I know that shit's catching!"

Kuushou shook his head, letting out a small laugh. "I'm perfectly fine," he told her, meeting her gaze. "I don't remember what happened after Gaara let his demon out, but the Hokage believes that it can be controlled and prevented in the future. He ordered me to undergo training for that very purpose until he's sure it won't happen again. I'm not thrilled about that, but I'll deal with it."

"Good," Anko muttered. "Seeing the Kyuubi like that, how it was just _oozing _killing intent..." she shook her head. She was quiet for a few seconds before she looked up at thoughtfully.

"Do you-" she cut herself off, frowning. "You probably don't, I guess, but... do you know if it always looked like a fox?"

"The Kyuubi?" Kuushou asked, honestly curious where she was going with this. "Is it supposed to look like something else?"

"Well, I saw it when it attacked Konoha all those years ago, and yeah, it looked _like _a fox. But it just struck me when I saw it again when you- during the finals - this time it didn't just look_ like_ a fox, it _was _a fox. Compared to that, when I saw it years ago it was... deformed or something, I guess. I dunno, it just... stood out, ya know?"

"I wouldn't know," Kuushou said stiffly, fighting back his anger at further confirmation of just how different things were in this world.

Anko nodded, shifting uncomfortably and looking around the room.

"Oh yeah," she muttered after a few seconds of awkward silence, "I picked this up after you- after everything- dammit!" she snapped suddenly, throwing her hands in the air. "After you _lost it_," she ground out, reaching inside her coat and pulling out a small bundle of cloth, "I found this. I'm not real sure why, but apparently it was the only part of your clothing that survived the Kyuubi."

Kuushou's eyes widened as he realized what she held in her hand. He hadn't even had time to realize he had lost possession of it - he had gotten so used to carrying it around at all times that he no longer thought about it.

Anko smirked suddenly, then stalked forward with an exaggerated sway of her hips and leered at him. "Speaking of which..." she purred, "you've been holding out on me. At least now I know why that Hyuuga girl enjoys stalking you so much."

Kuushou stared at her for a moment, then nodded thoughtfully. "You're right," he said as he reached out and pulled the remains of his vest from her hand. He looked up at her faintly surprised expression and added, "I believe that means that I qualify for the... Sexy Tax, was it? I'll be sure to account for that in our future missions."

Her face was frozen in incredulity for several seconds before she burst out laughing, almost doubling over as she clutched at her stomach. Every time she'd start to calm down, she'd look back up at him and then start laughing all over again. By the time she finally got herself under control, she was leaning heavily on his shoulder and wheezing.

"That..." she finally got out, "was _not _what I was expecting." She chuckled to herself again before staring at him with a serious expression. "Also, you ain't got _nothin_' on me, so you can forget it."

Kuushou shrugged as he spread out the piece of cloth on the table and began inspecting the seals woven into the fabric for signs of damage.

"What is that, anyway?"

He glanced at her curious expression, then back at the heavily reinforced and protected sealing array that contained an assortment of sealing supplies and ninja tools... along with nearly three hundred thousand ryo and the Scroll of Forbidden Seals.

"Just some emergency supplies that I don't want to lose."

~ Scene Break ~

"Alright, kiddo, time to get started," Jiraiya announced, gesturing widely around the remote training ground they had reserved. "I'm only in Konoha for a few more days, so I'll be pushing you hard to get as much done as we can, got it?"

Kuushou nodded, his gaze cutting over to where Danzo and his - student? Apprentice? Servant? - Sai were observing. Four ANBU stood on the opposite side, silent and still.

"First up, we need to establish a baseline for your general abilities and chakra control, so we can measure any changes as they occur. I've whipped up a quick series of timed tests for this purpose. First off," he said, pointing towards a circle of a dozen logs nearby, "_kawarimi _with each of those logs in sequence, as quickly as you can."

Scowling slightly in annoyance, Kuushou darted over to the circle and rapidly executed the _kawarimi _on each of the logs. His attention was only half on the task, however, as he focused on the feeling of his youki as he executed the basic technique. He _knew _something was different, but he still could not place what it was. Performing the technique seemed to trigger something in his head, though, as he could almost tell what it was. It just seemed to slip out of his grasp before he could put a name to what was different.

"Six point four, not bad," Jiraiya muttered, making a note on the scroll he had with him. "Now make three basic _bunshin_, and perform the following actions in sequence..."

It continued like that for nearly ten minutes, Jiraiya directing him to use a variety of basic, low cost techniques to perform several tasks while constantly making notes. He commented on Kuushou's performance every now and then, but most of his attention was focused on the task at hand. Danzo and Sai watched silently, neither taking notes nor commenting the entire time.

"Now then, on to the more interesting tests!" Jiraiya exclaimed, clapping his hands together loudly. "I've heard all about your little range problem, but nobody went in depth into the various manifestations of it. That's a terrible oversight on their part, and one we're going to correct now!

"First up, stand here," Jiraiya said, motioning to a small circle at one end of a long dirt furrow that had been dug near the river that ran through the training ground.

Some of his irritation faded in favor of curiosity as he complied with Jiraiya's request. Various people, including the Hokage himself, had studied his "range problem" at various times in an attempt to find a solution. None of them had tried anything like this, however, and Kuushou was interested to see just what the seal master would come up with.

"Now then, make a water whip thirty feet in length, coiled up. Once it's ready, send it out along this dirt track here as slowly as you can manage."

"And then what?"

"I'll be watching it closely as you do so. I want to see exactly what happens when you hit the limit, as well as get an accurate measurement of just what that limit is."

Kuushou pulled a stream of water from the river and stretched it out, coiling it around his arm and above his hand. Jiraiya watched silently, a contemplative expression on his face, then eventually nodded in satisfaction.

"That'll do. Now start sending it along the trench here."

Jiraiya easily kept pace with the tip of the stream of water, As soon as it hit the fifteen foot limit that Kuushou maintained in front of the other ninja, the tip dissolved into mere droplets of water and splashed onto the dirt, leaving dark splotches in their wake.

Or rather, _most _of it did. A much thinner stream continued onward, wobbling and unsteady, for nearly half a foot more before it too lost cohesion.

Kuushou lost control of the rest of the whip, soaking his clothing and the ground at his feet as he gaped in shock. That... that shouldn't have happened.

That _couldn't _have happened.

"Huh," Jiraiya muttered, looking up from his rapidly scribbled notes. "That's not how it was described to me." He looked back at Kuushou, then smirked. "And judging by that gob-smacked look, that's not what it was supposed to do, is it?"

Kuushou just shook his head, then snapped out of his surprise and turned back towards the center of the training ground. With a sharp jerk of his hand, he shifted some of the dirt sideways, opening up a trench similar to the one Jiraiya had prepared... and took in the result in shock.

For fifteen feet, there was a clean, even, nearly foot wide line of dirt extending straight out. Past that, the line became jagged and tapered off to a point nearly a foot onward.

"Interesting," Jiraiya muttered. "I wonder if..." He fell silent for a few seconds, then turned to Kuushou.

"Pull up some of your chakra."

Kuushou raised his hand, operating mostly on instinct as his mind struggled to figure out what was happening. He pushed out his standard blend of his own youki and the body's chakra, manifesting a light purple energy that formed a perfect sphere above his palm.

Jiraiya grunted, making several more notes, then spoke again. "Now try to pull on _just _your chakra."

"Just _my_," Kuushou started to ask, then cut himself off. Not his youki, the body's chakra. It had been years since he had attempted to do so, not since his Ino had first given him the idea of blending his youki with the body's chakra to overcome his control issues.

The energy gradually shifted hues, the purple fading as he pulled more and more of his youki out of the mixture. He soon approached the lower limit of his effective control... and passed it. The color continued to shift towards blue, the sphere beginning to warp and destabilize as he did so. Finally, he pulled the last of his youki back into his body.

And stared at the nearly shapeless blob of blue chakra wobbling in the air above his hand.

~ End Chapter ~

**A/N:** **As always, thanks for reading and thanks for all the reviews!**

**Thanks to the SB forums for providing feedback and criticism on this chapter!**


	17. Distraction

_Jiraiya grunted, making several more notes, then spoke again. "Now try to pull on just your chakra."_

_"Just my," Kuushou started to ask, then cut himself off. Not his youki, the body's chakra. It had been years since he had attempted to do so, not since his Ino had first given him the idea of blending his youki with the body's chakra to overcome his control issues._

_The energy gradually shifted hues, the purple fading as he pulled more and more of his youki out of the mixture. He soon approached the lower limit of his effective control… and passed it. The color continued to shift towards blue, the sphere beginning to warp and destabilize as he did so. Finally, he pulled the last of his youki back into his body._

_And stared at the nearly shapeless blob of blue chakra wobbling in the air above his hand._

Kuushou waited for the ball of chakra to fall apart, to fade away, to do _anything _but what it was currently doing: hovering a few inches above his palm, following his will.

He could feel ideas and possible explanations whirling in his head, but each died before it could take shape. He could not control the body's chakra without utilizing his youki - it just wasn't possible. He had years and years of proof for this; he'd had to create a way of merging the body's chakra and his own youki in order to develop any control over it at all, and even then he had wasted literally years trying to make it work before Ino had given him the idea for that.

He blinked and found Jiraiya standing in front of him, his fingers snapping directly in front of his face.

"You awake now?" Jiraiya asked, amused.

Kuushou scowled at him for a moment before nodding, his eyes already drifting back to the ball of chakra that was still there, wobbling uncertainly above his hand.

"Alright, I think it's pretty obvious that something big has changed," Jiraiya said. "Am I right in thinking that you've never been able to use _just _your chakra like this before?"

"Never," Kuushou replied, finally drawing the chakra back into his body. He waited a moment, then pushed out more of the body's chakra, trying to form the ball again. The chakra poured off of his hand, spilling into the air in random spurts and splutters, but after a few seconds it attained a shape that was vaguely round in some places.

Jiraiya nodded thoughtfully as he observed, rubbing his chin. "Change of plans," he said finally. "I need to tell the Hokage about this, and we need to determine just how bad your chakra control really is when using only your chakra. From what I'm seeing here, you might as well be a first year in the Academy." He pondered for a moment, then nodded sharply. "I don't have time to walk you through getting your control up to snuff, so you'll have to take care of that on your own.

"Start working on that now while I go talk to the old man. I'll be back before too long, and I'll let you know about any other change in plans then."

Jiraiya barely waited for him to acknowledge his words before vanishing, leaving him alone in the clearing with Danzo, Sai, and the ANBU team. Danzo was already hobbling over, moving carefully across the uneven ground.

"Your chakra and the Kyuubi's chakra have separated, have they?" Danzo said without preamble, his visible eye contemplative.

"Looks that way," Kuushou answered, calling up the ball of pure chakra again.

"Did this change occur following your incident at the finals?"

"I think so, yes," he admitted, his eyes focused on the blue shape hovering over his hand.

"You didn't have trouble performing the other tasks Jiraiya set you to, or working on the Haruno girl... has this had a negative impact on your capabilities?"

Kuushou glanced over at Danzo. "I could tell _something_ was different, but there was no actual effect that I could find."

Danzo grunted in acknowledgment, tapping his cane on the ground. "Try sending that chakra out as far as you can," he said after a moment, pointing his cane down the trench he had created earlier.

Kuushou nodded and focused, pushing the chakra away from his hand. It barely made it a foot before the entire mass fell apart, fading into the air.

Danzo thumped his cane on the ground again. "Useless for now," he declared. "You have a handle on calling it up, though, so why don't you try the focusing exercise?"

Kuushou eyed him curiously for a moment, then shrugged. He hadn't had to do this since the first year in the Academy, as it was often the very first exercise taught to new students - as soon as they proved they could call up their chakra intentionally, the teachers moved on to the basic three.

He formed the ram seal with his hands and concentrated. The difficult part would be _not _pulling out any of his youki along with the body's own chakra.

His body began to glow blue around his stomach, which quickly spread to the rest of his torso, then his entire body. It formed an aura around him, clinging closely to his skin at first before surging. It swiftly grew larger, wrapping around his form like a living flame of a deep, pure blue.

"That's all you've got?" Danzo muttered, somehow conveying his disappointment despite his monotone voice.

Kuushou narrowed his eyes at Danzo, then _pushed_. The aura flared even higher, completely obscuring his form for a moment before settling down. He could feel the ANBU squad stirring, spreading out slightly almost on instinct, while Sai had actually stepped in front of Danzo. Danzo himself had not so much as twitched, instead regarding him with the same cold, detached gaze as always.

"Better," he said after a moment. "You have the reserves. Now you must learn to do something with them."

Kuushou allowed the aura to recede, noting the surprising effort it took to force that much chakra out while fighting his own instincts that would utilize his youki.

"This time, try to push chakra out of just your right hand," Danzo directed.

This continued for some time, with the elderly ninja monotonously walking him through what seemed like an improvised chakra control test. Kuushou wasn't sure what conclusions Danzo drew from the results, but he noticed a few things of his own. He could generally limit chakra to one limb, or even his hands and feet, but there was always a little spill-over that he couldn't prevent. Similarly, his efforts to push chakra out of a single finger were a complete failure, and the eventual goal of utilizing a single tenketsu for the task was a distant dream.

It took him time to realize that he was still cheating, in a way. He eventually realized that he was still using his youki, just in a smaller role and purely internally. He would literally push the chakra out of his body, only attempting to control the chakra directly once that was done. Even attempting to block off all other tenketsu in an area with youki to force the chakra out of a single one failed, and he ended up damaging his chakra network in the effort, though that at least he could fix easily enough.

After that realization, he made a conscious effort to let his youki lie as dormant as possible while focusing solely on chakra. This actually made his control - if his method of flinging chakra around like water in a leaky bucket could even be called that - _worse_. Attempting to emit chakra from his hand might release a barely visible spark of it, or a flood of it, or end up emitting it from his forearm instead. And after so many years of using chakra and youki together, _not _merging them together actually took deliberate focus all of its own, which made the task more difficult and annoying still.

His lack of success or even progress, coupled with Danzo's droning voice and dry, biting comments had his temper fraying by the time Jiraiya returned.

"Good to see you kept working!" Jiraiya called out cheerfully. "The Hokage was quite happy to hear that we may have finally found a way to alleviate your range problem, or even remove it entirely in time. In light of that, he also changed our goal; we're now aiming to get your control over your own chakra, _without _mixing it with the Kyuubi's, up to C-rank."

"That will be an interesting task, Jiraiya," Danzo said, speaking directly to the man for the first time since they entered the clearing. "By my measure, he has the control of a first year student... a civilian one."

Jiraiya just grinned at him. "You're talking to the man who taught the Fourth Hokage! I'll have him up to _B-rank _before you know it!"

Danzo stared at him for a moment before grunting and inclining his head slightly. "See that you do. It's a shame to let an asset like Yamanaka-chuunin sit idle."

With that, he turned and began hobbling out of the training ground, Sai trailing after him silently.

"Alright, Naruto," Jiraiya called out, drawing Kuushou's attention back, "here's what we're going to do..."

~ Scene Break ~

Kuushou looked over the massive crowd gathered around the base of the Hokage Tower. He couldn't remember ever seeing so many people gathered in one place before; they were packed shoulder to shoulder, filling the courtyard, the streets feeding into it, the storefronts and windows of the buildings, ever the roofs and balconies. The sound was incredibly loud, thousands of voices blending together to fill the air with idle talk while they waited for the event they had gathered to witness to begin.

Despite the many people gathered and the cacophonous sound of their mingled voices, it rose even higher into raucous cheers as the Hokage stepped out onto a high balcony overlooking them. The stories of his victory over Orochimaru had spread far and wide and, coupled with the massive maelstrom of fire and wind that had been visible from Konoha and marked the traitorous ninja's demise, had reminded everyone just who it was that led their village.

This continued for nearly a minute before those same cheers immediately quieted when the Hokage raised his hand and gestured for silence.

"Citizens of Konoha," the Hokage called out, his voice washing over the attentive masses and carrying far across the village, "I am here today to reveal a truth that has been hidden for some time, held deep in the hearts of a few to keep one of Konoha's greatest heroes safe. This truth concerns the day the Nine-Tailed Fox attacked our village and the ninja who sacrificed their lives to stop it - and one ninja who continues to sacrifice to this very day."

Anko leaned back against the side of the building and whistled lowly, shaking her head. "Hokage-sama is _good_," she muttered as she continued to listen to the Hokage's speech.

"It's the truth, isn't it?" Kuushou commented idly, half his attention focused on the mass of chakra hovering above his hand. He thought it looked like a little more round than it had the day before, or the day before that, but it was hard to tell after staring at it for so long. He wasn't about to stop working on it, though.

Anko shrugged, glancing over at him. "In a way, I guess," she agreed.

"... was not killed, but was instead trapped inside a human child, there to lie bound and powerless for the rest of its days..."

Kuushou looked towards the Hokage, his eyes narrowed for a moment before he returned to his practice.

"How long have you been working on that, anyway?" Anko asked idly.

"I haven't stopped. I've got a lot of ground to make up if I'm going to ever get anywhere with my chakra control."

"... this ninja protects Konoha and its people with every breath he draws, with every beat of his heart..."

Anko lapsed into silence, drawn into the Hokage's speech as he continued to praise the yet to be named container of the Nine-Tailed Fox. After a while, she cleared her throat.

"I'm getting promoted to jounin." The words were almost rushed, and she stared steadily towards the Hokage as she said them.

"... jinchuuriki, as they are known, are not viewed by other villages as the heroes they are, but instead are..."

Kuushou looked up. "About time," he said, smirking.

Anko finally looked over at him, a grin blooming on her face. "I know! It's like, how much ass do I have to kick before you give me a fucking promotion?"

Kuushou nodded. "I was surprised to find that you were only a tokubetsu jounin after seeing you in action. Still, this just proves that all your hard work is paying off. You got to proctor the second phase, Orochimaru is finally dead, and now, at long last, you get your long overdue bump to jounin."

Anko nodded rapidly before her expression froze. Shock filtered over her face for a moment before it twisted into something dark, then cleared.

"Yeah," she said, a dark undercurrent filling her previously light-hearted tone, "funny how that worked out."

Kuushou pretended he hadn't noticed anything. "So what does making jounin change? Better pay?"

Anko took a moment to respond, her eyes fixed on some distant point before she shook herself. "That's the thing," she said, scratching at her neck. "They want me to take a team."

"... so they not only protect their own village, but the whole world from the ravages of these monsters known as the Bijuu..."

"A team? As in a genin team?"

"Yep," Anko replied. "Well, maybe. I can wait for the next graduating class or I can try to pull my own team together from any loose genin and chuunin who would be willing. And I don't _have to_, but Hokage-sama really thought I'd be good at it."

"Anyone would be lucky to have you as a jounin instructor," he commented.

"Thing is," she continued after flashing him a wide grin, "it would be a full-time deal. I'd be in charge of overseeing their training and development, and I'd need to take them on a certain number of missions to keep them productive for Konoha..."

"Which wouldn't leave a lot of time for personal missions," Kuushou finished for her, a slight frown on his face. "I see."

"... did not wish to be known for his status as a jinchuuriki, but revealed himself to protect this village and its people when..."

"This seems like good timing, really," he continued after a moment. He nodded to the ball of chakra in his hand with a wry smirk. "I'm not going to be taking any missions for a while anyway, and this way you aren't left hanging because of my problems."

"Don't think you're off the hook that easy," she replied, relaxing a little. "You've done some good work with the genin you taught, and I could always use some pointers, maybe even some help every now and then."

"... and so, I, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Third Hokage of Konoha, today do something that I should have done a long time ago. I hereby publicly acknowledge one of Konoha's greatest ninja, a hero in whom the Will of Fire burns strong and fiercely, the jinchuuriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox: Naruto Uzumaki."

The Hokage bowed deeply, an action mimicked a moment later his teammates who stood beside him. The other ninja gathered around the Tower, on the streets and the rooftops, standing on top of poles and the sides of the buildings, all turned to face the same direction as the Hokage and bowed as well, the movement spreading through the crowd like a wave. Many of the civilians followed suit, and those who had seen him beforehand or knew where he was standing turned to face him directly as they did so.

Kuushou was taken aback at the unexpected ending of the Hokage's speech, and stared blankly out at the bowed heads turned in his direction. He heard a rustle of cloth and glanced over at Anko, to find that she had crossed her arms and was grinning in smug satisfaction as she took in the crowd.

"Thank you, all of you," the Hokage resumed, prompting the crowd to begin straightening and turning their attention back to him. "Naruto does not wish to be treated any differently even though this knowledge is now public, so I urge all of you to simply continue treating him with the same courtesy and respect that is due any ninja of Konoha; no more and no less. Thank you all for your time, and I bid you a good day."

The Hokage turned and disappeared back inside the Tower, his teammates following close on his heels, and the crowd began breaking up.

A few people approached him to offer words of thanks, but Kuushou waved them off quickly, saying that it wasn't something he wanted to dwell on. Finally the street resumed its everyday ebb and flow, though gazes lingered on him and the snatches of conversation he overheard all revolved around him.

He looked over at Anko, adopting a wounded expression. "No bow?"

Her grin faded as she met his gaze. "I have other ways of showing my respect," she told him solemnly, holding the stare for several seconds before adding with a smirk, "which is why I'll let you buy me dango."

~ Scene Break ~

_... abilities: water techniques, with an emphasis on-_

"No."

_... Bounty: 425,000 ryo. Known abilities: possesses one of the Seven Swords, Same-_

"No."

... _reputed to have mastered the water dragon technique, she also-_

"No."

_... B-rank, chuunin prior to his desertion of Iwagakure. Bounty: 13,000 ryo. Known abilit-_

"No."

_... before his desertion of Yuugakure (defunct). Openly announcing his association with the Cult of Jashin, Hidan claims to be immortal. He wields a large scy-_

Kuushou paused, then slowly reread the previous sentence.

"Immortal..." he said slowly, tasting the word. "How much would immortality piss of the God of Death, I wonder?"

A smile slowly grew on his face as he encountered the first potential lead he'd had since this world's Shinigami had changed the rules surrounding his seal. And if he was truly immortal, perhaps that was enough to hide him from the Death God's sight?

_He wields a large scythe, though shows little apparent skill with it. Known abilities: none. Known associates: none._

Kuushou's smile rapidly soured as he read the rest of the entry. It seemed like _everything _about this Hidan was an unproven rumor; the only thing the Bingo Book listed as fact was his physical description, his name, and his former village. Even worse, the last known sighting was three years old at this point.

Despite that, it was still the best - the _only _- lead he had gotten as to who the so-called trespasser might possibly be. He ripped the page out and set it aside before continuing his scan of the Bingo Book.

In his right hand, the ball of chakra continued to hover, slowly shifting in shape.

~ Scene Break ~

"I hear congratulations are in order," Kuushou commented idly, still focusing on his ramen as another person approached. His left hand was occupied with the chopsticks that were rapidly shifting the food from the bowl to his own mouth, while his left hand was turned palm up, a spiky, wobbling ball of chakra floating uncertainly above it.

"Thank you," Hinata said, a strong undercurrent of satisfaction in her voice. He glanced over as she stepped into the Ichiraku's Ramen Stand and settled onto the stool on his left.

Unsurprisingly given how fresh her promotion was, she was wearing her chuunin vest. It was currently mostly unzipped, only the bottom connected to keep it from hanging completely open. Underneath she wore a short-sleeved light purple shirt and black pants. Her forehead protector hung around her neck and she had two kunai pouches, one strapped to each leg.

"Welcome back, Hinata-chan!" Ayame called out as she approached. "And congratulations on your promotion! That's amazing!"

"Thank you, Ayame-san," she replied, inclining her head slightly. "I could not have done it without Naruto's assistance, however."

"Given that only two of my students were promoted," Kuushou countered, "it was your own talent that made up the difference."

Hinata blushed, ducking her head slightly as she struggled to find a reply.

Ayame just giggled to herself for a moment before saying, "Watching you two is too much fun. So while you sort out all of that, what would you like to have, Hinata-chan?"

After Hinata had ordered and Ayame had moved away to focus on preparing her meal, Kuushou turned to Hinata once again.

"How did the ceremony go?"

She had regained her composure by this point and replied calmly. "Father wasted no time in capitalizing on the fact that both Neji and I were promoted at the same time. The fact that half of the genin from Konoha who earned a promotion were from the Hyuuga family is already making its way through the village.

"Kurenai-sensei was very happy for me, of course, as were both Kiba and Shino. Our team is going out later to celebrate."

She paused for a moment, politely thanking Ayame when she delivered her bowl of miso ramen. She picked up her chopsticks and lightly stirred the ramen as she continued.

"Gai-sensei and Kakashi-sensei were also in attendance. Gai-sensei was thrilled that both Neji and Tenten were promoted, and Lee, even though he didn't make it, was still jumping all over the place and cheering them on. Gai-sensei even declared that this meant he had won his bet with Kakashi-sensei.

"Kakashi-sensei, on the other hand, claimed that even though only Sakura was promoted from his team, her showing in the Exams was both more impressive from an objective standpoint and even more so considering that she had less experience."

Kuushou kept one eye on Hinata even as Ayame delivered his next bowl of ramen. There was something in Hinata's tone when she mentioned Sakura - nothing overt that he could place as a distinct emotion, but her voice was a little colder, her speech more clipped.

"Gai-sensei had moved on to proposing even more bets and contests to settle the question once and for all when my team left."

He nodded as she finished her report and fell silent. The most surprising promotion for him had been Sakura - he would have thought that the events surrounding her match would have eliminated her from consideration, even if it was a fluke that their plan to defeat Gaara had backfired in such a spectacular fashion.

"So what are your plans now that you are a Chuunin?" he asked.

Hinata carefully set her chopsticks down and turned to face him fully.

"I still have a great deal to learn from you, about many things," she declared, her pale eyes boring into his own. "Even though I have been promoted, I hope that our training sessions will continue without interruption."

"Of course," Kuushou agreed. "I'm not about to stop now."

Ayame let out another small giggle as she placed another bowl of ramen in front of him.

"Oh, don't mind me," she said, amusement clear in her voice.

Hinata glanced at Ayame for a moment, then turned back to her ramen and resumed eating, a faint blush staining her cheeks. Kuushou turned back to his own bowl, already thinking about what the next step of her training should be.

"I understand now," Hinata said quietly, interrupting his thoughts. "What you meant about the wall that stood in your way, the one that's been there since the day you were born."

Kuushou smirked to himself, but continued to eat his ramen and didn't offer any response.

"I understand what it is I see when I look at you with my Byakugan, and why you can do some of the things you can do." She paused for a moment. "It doesn't change anything, though. You are who you are. I just wanted you to know that I understood, that's all.

"And... and I wanted to ask how the climbing was going."

Kuushou paused, surprised at the question. He seriously considered it for several seconds, turning to look at the ball of chakra hovering over his hand. In some ways his situation was much worse: his seal had changed radically, to the point where he could no longer slowly wear away at it to increase the youki he had available; even worse, he no longer had the option of simply breaking free and was now, for the first time he could remember, well and truly trapped in this form.

Even so, the deal that the Death God had forced upon him opened up new opportunities. He could eventually find his way free of this form _without _the accompanying banishment from the human realm, which would leave him unhindered in his future attempts to find the other Bijuu - the _real _Bijuu, at least. His newfound control over the body's chakra also removed some of the problems he had with range, though "control" was perhaps still too optimistic a word.

And once he had found this trespasser and fed their soul to the Death God, there was a good chance he could even acquire a way to prevent himself from ever being sealed again. The Death God had made it clear that it was possible, though the price remained unknown.

That alone made the many problems of his current state worth the trouble.

Hinata remained silent as he thought, waiting patiently and attentively for his answer. She met his eyes when he turned to look directly at her, her expression attentive, almost eager

A grin grew on his face.

"One day soon, I'm going to reach the top," he told her, his voice growing more harsh and eager as he spoke, "and then I'm going to tear it apart brick. By. _Brick_."

~ Scene Break ~

Several weeks later, Kuushou sat in the middle of his living room floor, all of his attention focused on one thing and one thing only.

A perfectly spherical ball of chakra hung suspended before him, fed by two streams of human chakra so thin they could not be seen by the naked eye. Methodically, he moved the ball forward and back, left and right, up and down. It remained perfectly spherical, not wavering from his will in the least.

He began to move faster, bouncing the ball from hand to hand then sending it out further to bounce off of the walls of the room.

A second ball of chakra appeared, starting the same sequence as the first, and soon both were flashing throughout the room, moving almost too quickly to track.

Kuushou's brow furrowed as a third orb of chakra began to take shape. It wavered back and forth, its shape warping and flattening before reforming into a ball once more. The strands supporting it grew thicker, becoming blue streams of chakra that poured from his hands into the construct hanging in the air before him.

The first ball slowed its progress through the room, moving in a lazy circle rather than the hectic path it had taken before. Kuushou's attention drifted as he corrected that problem, and the third ball began to fall apart entirely.

His attention snapped back and the ball firmed once more, now completely still and perfectly spherical - and with a light purple hue.

"Only two," Kuushou muttered to himself. "That will have to do."

He stood smoothly, the other orbs vanishing, and made his way out of the apartment and towards the nearest training ground.

As he prowled down the road, he quickly drew attention as people pointed out the newly-revealed jinchuuriki. There were surprisingly few who were afraid of him or angry at him following the Hokage's revelation, but the pointing and whispered conversations had persisted for weeks now with no sign of fading yet.

He also drew attention from the ninja he passed by, as they quickly noted that for the first time in nearly two months he did not have a ball of chakra hovering above his hand. A few even began to discretely follow him, sensing that something had changed and curious about what he was going to do.

He noted all of it, but remained focused as he reached his destination.

He strode into the training ground without pausing, making his way to an area filled with logs of various shapes and sizes. It was meant mainly for Academy students practicing their fundamentals or for genin and chuunin trying to refine their _kawarimi _technique - which was precisely why he was here.

He stopped well outside the range to which his seal previously limited him, then turned and stared at the logs. He clamped down tightly on his youki and slowly and methodically formed the handsigns required, feeling the body's chakra respond and the technique taking shape.

With a small twist of effort, the technique completed and he found himself nearly thirty meters away from his previous location, exactly where the log had been a moment before. The log landed in the grass at his previous spot with a small thud, then tilted over and landed on its side with an ever smaller thump.

It was hardly a feat of note even for an Academy student, but he found laughter bubbling out of his throat as a wide grin split his face.

It was only with the body's own chakra, and he was still far less skilled with it than with his own youki, but for the first time since he had been sealed he was no longer confined to a criminally small space.

He spread his arms wide and titled his head back, howling with laughter.

~ Scene Break ~

"You're kidding."

"Not at all, Naruto-kun. I am very happy that you are once again cleared for missions," the Hokage declared, acting as if he wasn't the very reason he had been pulled from active duty in the first place, "but that doesn't change the fact that you need a team."

"What about Anko? Shouldn't she be back by now?"

"Anko-chan is still, how did she put it... ah yes, _breaking in_ her new team. Her last report indicated that the genin she had selected are not working together as effectively as she requires, so she is putting them through some more rigorous trials."

"What about solo missions, then?"

"Those will of course be available in the future, but I want you to work more closely with other ninja in the village, and they with you. As a chuunin you have the option of creating your own team of other chuunin and genin as long as they agree to follow your command in the field. You will need a minimum of two permanent members as well as at least one other willing to work with you on a mission by mission basis."

"That could take days, even weeks," Kuushou protested. He really did not want to waste any more time twiddling his thumbs in the village. He had found no leads whatsoever within the village, but the Bingo Book had yielded several possible candidates for the trespasser. If he was going to find one of them, he needed to be out in the field.

"I would expect so, especially if you strive to find people whose skills and temperaments complement your own. You can always try to find another observer like Anko, but I'm gathering you would much prefer to have the leadership role."

Kuushou nodded at that, then sat back in his seat. Anko, now that she had her own team, was obviously not an option. Even with her, he wouldn't have the freedom to take the random detours and side trips that tracking down some of his targets would require.

If he couldn't simply take missions solo, then he would need someone who would be willing to follow his lead without a lot of argument and questioning and who would be willing to stay on his team permanently.

"Very well, then," Kuushou said, standing. "I will come back when I have my team assembled. Thank you for your time, Hokage-jii-san."

"I look forward to seeing who you select, Naruto-kun. And anytime; my door is always open for you."

~ Scene Break ~

When Kuushou thought of who would fit the requirements for his team, one name immediately popped to mind. Though he was sure it would surprise some of the other ninja, that name wasn't Anko.

Even aside from the fact that she was already busy with her own team, Anko had shown a pattern of clear observation and the willingness to call him on anything that didn't seem to fit. She had inadvertently forced his hand in regards to his sensor abilities, for one, and didn't hesitate to challenge his plans or make him back up his claims.

No, he needed someone much more... _pliable_.

Unfortunately, there were also some obstacles he needed to overcome first.

The door slid open and a servant dressed in immaculate white robes stepped softly into the room, her covered forehead bowed.

"Hiashi-sama will see you now, Uzumaki-san," she announced, motioning out into the hallway.

"I prefer Yamanaka," Kuushou said as he stood, straightening his _kimono_ and making sure that both crests - the swirl of the Uzumaki clan and the stylized flower of the Yamanaka clan - were clearly displayed. He knew all too well how much Hiashi Hyuuga prized formality and observing the traditions of the village, and as the one asking the favor in this instance it would not do to arrive in anything less than formal clothing.

The dual crests were not chosen specifically for this meeting, but were instead aimed at both Inoichi and the Hokage. The Uzumaki crest kept the old man content that he was not forgetting his "birth parents," and the Yamanaka crest kept Inoichi happy that his counterpart had done well in raising him. The fact that this was only the second time he'd ever had reason to wear the thing didn't seem to matter to them.

"My apologies, Yamanaka-san," the servant said, bowing again. "If you will follow me, I will lead you to Hiashi-sama."

Kuushou nodded and followed her down the hallway, arriving at the larger doors that bore the crest of the Hyuuga clan.

"Naruto Yamanaka is here, Hiashi-sama," the servant called out after knocking softly on the door.

"Send him in," came Hiashi's reply.

Kuushou stepped into the room, quickly noting the carefully cultivated layout of the place where Hiashi Hyuuga held court.

The large, ornate, carefully polished desk dominated the room, situated directly across from the sliding doors. The dark wood possessed a fine sheen that spoke of age and careful care. The surface of the desk was meticulously organized, two small stacks of scrolls sitting to Hiashi's left and a larger stack to his right.

In front of the desk, two cushions were placed upon the floor, both looking as fresh and clean as if they had been made that very day. The walls to the left and right were sparsely decorated, a small bonsai tree here and a wall scroll depicting a scene from the clan's past there.

The wall directly in front of him held a large scroll, hung horizontally, with the phrase "Work Diligently Enduring Hardships" painted in clean, sharp lines upon the paper. It was placed high on the wall, looming above and behind Hiashi like a silent sentinel.

Hiashi himself knelt behind the desk, his spine perfectly straight. He held a brush in his right hand, his left holding his sleeve away from the scroll upon which he was currently writing. His hand moved with smooth, sure strokes, and after a moment he carefully placed the brush down in a tray to his right, waved his hand over the scroll with a small surge of chakra, then swiftly rolled it into a perfect cylinder, slid a ribbon over it to hold it closed, and placed it on the pile to his right.

Finally, the man looked up, his expression carefully polite and neutral. His eyes scanned Kuushou's form, lingering on the crests for a moment before returning to his face.

"Welcome to my home, Yamanaka-san. I hope the wait was not too arduous for you."

"Not at all, Hyuuga-san."

"That is good," Hiashi said, nodding once. He paused as if gathering his thoughts, then leaned forward slightly. "I find myself curious as to what business you have with me, Yamanaka-san."

"I have a request concerning your eldest daughter, Hyuuga-san," Kuushou replied.

Hiashi's eyebrows twitched slightly, betraying his surprise at the topic.

"Hinata, is it?" he mused, leaning back slightly. "I was quite impressed at how well my daughter performed in the Chuunin Exams; even more so that she actually earned a promotion. Her growth these last few months has been unexpected, to say the least. I am well aware that I have you to thank for this."

He paused, tapping his finger softly on the desk for a moment.

"I have heard some of your comments regarding the place from which you came, Yamanaka-san," Hiashi continued. "Am I mistaken in thinking that you have met me before?"

"You are not, Hyuuga-san. I met yourself and your wife on many occasions, though never in a setting such as this."

Hiashi's demeanor was naturally inclined to calm and stillness, but the way he stopped breathing for a moment revealed how unexpected the mention of his deceased wife was.

"You met Hisana?" he asked, his voice carefully controlled.

"I did. She was still alive last I knew. She was beautiful and kind, though there was no mistaking her strength either. Hinata took after her in many ways. My condolences for your loss, Hyuuga-san."

"Thank you," Hiashi said distractedly. He was silent for several seconds, his eyes distant. Then he asked, "Are the skills you are teaching Hinata the same as she learned before?"

"They are not. Though I often sparred with and observed Hinata, the style she used was quite different from the traditional Hyuuga style and is not something I believe I could teach her myself."

"Hisana taught her." It was a statement, not a question.

"She did, yes."

Hiashi nodded absently, then shook his head slightly and focused more firmly on Kuushou.

"What of the skills you have been teaching my daughter, then? I believe she has spent a great deal of time practicing with chakra strings. Though they do provide a useful exercise for chakra control, surely she is ready for the actual technique by now."

Kuushou stared at Hiashi blankly for a moment. "The chakra strings _are_ the technique," he corrected.

Hiashi frowned slightly. "And what purpose would such a weak, easily countered technique serve? Though she applied it well in her battle with the Uchiha, her victory was born of deception and endurance rather than the strength of the technique itself."

"You are familiar with the typical applications of chakra strings, I assume?" Kuushou asked.

"The puppeteers of Suna are the only ones who use them extensively," Hiashi noted. "Otherwise the technique is simply a means to further increase control, nothing more."

"I can provide a demonstration, if you will permit me," Kuushou replied, motioning with one hand towards the desk.

Hiashi nodded his assent after a moment, then silently activated his Byakugan.

Kuushou extended a single string of chakra from his hand and sent it down through the floor. He pushed it through the tatami mats, under Hiashi's desk, and then up where he attached it to the brush Hiashi had been using and lifted it into the air. Flipping the brush handle first and then pointing the end towards the Hyuuga as if it were a kunai, he made a short jabbing motion with it.

Hiashi's hand flashed out, swiping through the string and breaking it before deftly catching the brush and placing it back on the desk.

"And what was the purpose of that, Yamanaka-san? As I showed, such a technique can be countered with little effort. Indeed, it is entirely possible for the weakest genin to counter such a technique entirely by _accident_. Surely there are more effective techniques in your arsenal."

"Not all ninja are blessed with the Byakugan, Hyuuga-san, but your words are true. However, one more demonstration, if I may?"

Hiashi studied him for a moment, then nodded silently.

As before, Kuushou extended a single string down through the floor and up through the desk. Three more strings joined it, attaching at different places along the handle and at different angles. Nearly a dozen more strings appeared, some spreading out around the room and waiting while he created illusions of kunai to which he "attached" the others.

As before, he lifted the brush and mimed stabbing Hiashi with it. As before, Hiashi swept his hand through the chakra strings controlling it. This time, however, the strings bent out of the way of his hand, preventing him from breaking a single one.

He attempted another swipe, much faster this time, which caught two of the strings. The pieces of the broken stings still connected to Kuushou quickly reclaimed their hold on the brush, which had managed to close half the distance to Hiashi.

Hiashi's hand blurred, seizing the brush directly. "Enough," he said firmly, placing the brush back on the table. He deactivated his Byakugan before fixing his gaze on Kuushou once more.

Kuushou nodded and released the other chakra strings and the illusions of the kunai he had created. Hiashi remained silent, clearly thinking about what he had just seen. After nearly a minute, he finally spoke.

"That is certainly a more effective use for the chakra strings than I have seen outside of Suna's puppet masters. You believe Hinata will be capable of this?"

Kuushou immediately shook his head. "Hyuuga-san, by the time I am done, Hinata will be able to accomplish that from the other side of the compound. Combined with her Byakugan, she should be able to combat multiple foes without even revealing her location at all."

Hiashi nodded thoughtfully. "I will reserve judgment for now. The chakra strings aside, what of her progress in other areas?"

"After the initial situation, she has proven to be an ideal student. Hard-working, dedicated, and constantly pushing herself to the next level. She has improved her physical strength and speed, her chakra control and capacity, and has gained considerable experience sparring with myself and her team. Her promotion to Chuunin is no mistake."

He nodded again, his eyes distant. "That is welcome praise. There was a time," Hiashi admitted quietly, "when I thought she would not advance beyond genin at all, much less so soon."

Sensing that Hiashi was speaking half to himself, Kuushou decided to remain silent. After a few moments, Hiashi shook off his thoughts.

"Thank you for answering my questions, Yamanaka-san; it seems my curiosity has lead us somewhat astray of the original topic. You had a request concerning Hinata, did you not?"

"I did, Hyuuga-san. As you may be aware, I have been cleared for active duty once more and have decided to lead a team of my own. I believe that Hinata and I would complement each other's skills and temperaments, and wish to have her transferred to my team on a permanent basis."

"I have heard something to that effect, yes," Hiashi noted. "Congratulations on your return," he added, inclining his head slightly. "It is good to once more have a ninja of your abilities working for the benefit of the village.

"As for Hinata... she is a chuunin now. Why would you come to me with such a request?'

Kuushou nodded in agreement, catching the emphasis Hiashi had placed on the question. This was a test, one that would go a long way to determining just what the head of the Hyuuga clan thought of him. Answer incorrectly and he would be labeled a fool to be manipulated; answer correctly and he would be an ally to cultivate.

"As a chuunin, Hinata certainly has the right to make such decisions for herself. As a Hyuuga, however, she is still subject to the authority of her Clan Head, namely yourself. Should you decide to invoke that authority, she must either submit or challenge your authority in a trial by combat. It goes without saying that she lacks the strength to succeed in such a challenge.

"Even without going to such an extreme, the Hyuuga Clan in general and yourself in particular wield immense influence in the village. You could do many things, directly and indirectly, great and small, to make your displeasure with some decision known. Conversely, you could do many things to support decisions you agreed with and smooth the way for their continued success. As such, garnering your support is doubly valuable.

"Further, the skills of the Hyuuga clan are highly sought after both within and without the village. As the Clan Head, you are responsible for ensuring that the clan as a whole meets its obligations to the village, to allies and friends, and to any businesses or other entities which are bound by contract or tradition. This requires careful monitoring of the disposition of your clan members, including those who are permanently assigned to other duties."

Hiashi's eyebrows had risen slightly as he continued his explanation. Kuushou wasn't done yet, however.

"Should I make my request to Hinata directly, she would have to come to you for approval. If you were not satisfied with her explanation or wished to gather additional information, you might decide to summon me for a meeting such as this where I could then state my case. In such a situation I would already be at a disadvantage, however, as I would have taken up more of your time than necessary and put you through the trouble of setting up a meeting even though I am the one making a request of you. This assumes, of course, that you are inclined to pursue the matter at all.

"By coming to you first, I have taken as little of your time as possible and have the opportunity to immediately clarify my intentions and answer any questions you may have. It is an approach that demonstrates respect for your position and status and offers myself the greatest chance of success."

Hiashi's lips twitched slightly, but Kuushou continued before he could reply.

"And, above all, directly approaching the eldest daughter of a great and noble clan such as the Hyuuga with a proposal such as mine could be considered... _presumptuous,_" Kuushou added, pitching his voice and shifting his accent to match the speech of Hiashi himself.

A short bark of laughter escaped Hiashi's lips as Kuushou finished speaking. "A Yamanaka indeed," Hiashi said, amusement clear in his voice. His demeanor relaxed slightly, losing some of the harsh formality though it was no less dignified or disciplined. "That last could have come from Inoichi's own lips.

"You are indeed correct, Yamanaka-san, on all counts," he continued. "There is one matter you did not address, however; that of Hinata's safety while on your team. Though she is not the heiress, she is still a member of the Main House and as such will be highly sought after by many for their own gain. What guarantees do you offer that such a fate will not befall her?"

"Guarantees?" Kuushou asked, shaking his head. "We both know those are rare in the ninja world. I assure you, however, that Hinata will continue to grow stronger and more powerful in her own right as she continues her training with me. I am also an accomplished medic, so she will survive and recover from nearly anything short of outright death if I am nearby. I am a sensor as well, so the possibility of someone seeking to capture her actually escaping is remote.

"And," he continued, his expression darkening as he began to push out a bit of killing intent, "should the worst befall her and she perishes... I _guarantee _those responsible will not survive for long."

Hiashi did not react to the killing intent, instead studying him closely as he spoke, his expression still neutral.

Kuushou fell silent, making a restrained show of gaining control of himself before he returned Hiashi's calm, scrutinizing gaze.

"When I asked the same question of Kurenai Yuuhi," Hiashi said eventually, "she assured me that she would take great care to limit the danger Hinata was exposed to, and that she would never let her far out of her sight. At the time, I felt it was the best I could expect given Hinata's... performance. Indeed, there were times when I thought it best for Hinata and the village both if she were to cease her efforts to become a ninja entirely.

"As the Head of the Hyuuga, I am reluctant to expose Hinata to such risk. All other concerns aside, I do believe that she would be _safer _in Yuuhi-san's care than in your own. As a ninja, I believe it is to the detriment of the village as a whole for one of its own to be coddled as Hinata was, even more so now that she is a Chuunin.

"And then... as a father, I have never been more proud of Hinata than when I saw her standing over the Uchiha. She was beaten, bloody, and worn down, but she was also _triumphant_." He had a small smile on his lips as he spoke, no doubt picturing the scene in his head once more. "She could not have done this under Yuuhi-san's care, nor could she have done it hidden away within this compound.

"And that is why I will agree to you request, Yamanaka-san. Somehow, you have found a way to bring out the strength that had been hidden deep within Hinata where all others, including myself, have failed. Whatever else may come, I believe that this is the path that will lead Hinata to becoming a ninja of which both Konoha and the Hyuuga Clan can be proud."

Hiashi finally broke their long stare, picking up the next scroll from the small pile on his left and spreading it out before him, gracefully placing the small stones on the corners that would hold it flat.

"I will leave it to you to inform Hinata and Yuuhi-san of this new arrangement. If Yuuhi-san protests too strongly, remind her of the conversation she and I held when Hinata was first placed under her guidance."

There was a small surge of chakra from under the desk, which traveled swiftly along a straight path under the floor mats and outside of the room. A few seconds later, one of the servants slid the door open, kneeling just outside and waiting as still and silent as a statue.

"Hitomi will show you out, Yamanaka-san."

Kuushou bowed deeply before responding. "Thank you, Hyuuga-san, for agreeing to my request. I am sure you will not be disappointed."

Hiashi nodded absently, seeming to have already dismissed him from his thoughts. Kuushou had not expected any different, however, and stood smoothly and backed away several steps before turning to leave the room.

"Yamanaka-san," Hiashi called out, stopping him just before he stepped through the door. Kuushou turned to find Hiashi staring directly at him, an intense glare on his face. "I am leaving my daughter in your care. _Do not _make me regret it."

~ Scene Break ~

Kuushou decided not to waste any time once he had convinced Hiashi. Team Kurenai was currently inside the village, practicing together in one of the training grounds and it took only a few minutes once he left the grounds of the Hyuuga estate to _shunshin _across Konoha.

Hinata was sparring against Shino and Kiba when he arrived, and he was pleased to see that she was at putting her chakra strings to good use during the battle. She was managing to hold her own against them, utilizing her agility and speed to avoid the three-pronged attacks they sent her way. She had kunai scattered across the ground all around her, and as he watched she quickly attached a string to one and flicked it towards Shino from behind.

It did not pose a serious threat to him, but he was forced to dodge out of the way, easing some of the pressure from Hinata and allowing her to focus on Kiba and Akamaru for a moment.

It was obvious when Hinata noticed his arrival, as her head whipped around and she stumbled, almost falling completely before she recovered. Both Kiba and Shino paused at the unexpected action, Akamaru following his partner's lead a moment later.

"Can I help you, Yamanaka-san?" Kurenai asked coolly as she strolled up to him, studying his formal attire.

"Geez, Naruto, what are you all dressed up for?" Kiba called out. He was wandering over, followed by Shino and Hinata a few steps behind.

"Some matters call for a little more formality," Kuushou said, replying to Kiba first before turning back to Kurenai. "Yuuhi-san, I would like to speak with yourself and Hinata."

Kurenai raised an eyebrow at that before she glanced down at his _kimono_ once again. Understanding dawned, followed swiftly by a flash of anger.

"Kiba, Shino, we're done for the day. You two can go home," Kurenai said sharply, probably more sharply than she had intended.

Shino spoke quickly before Kiba could even say a word. "Understood, Kurenai-sensei. We will see you tomorrow. Good evening, Hinata-san."

That said, he took hold of Kiba's arm and pulled the Inuzuka along with him.

"Wha- hey!" Kiba called out as he was half-dragged away, Akamaru yipping at his heels. "What's up with that, huh? And quit pullin' me, dammit, Shino!"

Kiba's complaints faded into the distance, leaving just the three of them alone in the training ground.

Hinata was very tense, almost jittery, but her gaze was solidly focused on him. Kurenai was also staring at him as she crossed her arms and cocked her hip to one side.

"And what did you need to talk with us about, Yamanaka-san?" Kurenai asked, her voice distinctly cold now.

"I have just come from a meeting with the Head of the Hyuuga clan. I requested that Hinata be assigned to my newly formed team, and after some discussion my request was granted."

Hinata's eyes widened for a moment before a wide grin bloomed on her face. Kurenai took one look at her reaction before swallowing her own, her body shaking with suppressed emotion.

"That is, of course, assuming you wish to be a part of my team," Kuushou continued, turning to Hinata. "I wouldn't want to-"

"Yes!" Hinata burst out. "Yes, I will join your team."

"Excellent," Kuushou replied, smiling at her. "I look forward to working with you more closely," he added, bowing slightly.

"Yes!" Hinata said again, a blush spreading across her face as she bowed in return. "I look forward to working with you as well!"

"Who else is on your team?" Kurenai asked stiffly, her anger slowly fading into resignation.

"For the moment, only myself and Hinata. I have some other candidates in mind, but I wanted to secure Hinata for my own team before anything else."

"I see," Kurenai said slowly while Hinata's blush deepened further. "And when will you begin actively taking missions?"

"As soon as I have a full team," Kuushou said, turning to Hinata. "I'd like to start working on teamwork exercises while I look for the other two members, but that won't be full time. I have no problem with you continuing to work with Team Kurenai for the time being, if you wish."

Hinata nodded silently, her face stuck in a permanent grin.

"We still have our regular training session tomorrow, so we can talk more then. In the meantime, I need to attend to other business, possibly even acquiring our third teammate." She nodded again, and Kuushou turned to Kurenai.

"Unless there's anything else you would like to discuss, I'll be on my way."

Kurenai shook her head, her jaw clenched as she bit back whatever she wanted to say.

"Then I bid you both a good day, and I will see you tomorrow, Hinata," Kuushou concluded before turning to leave.

"Right!" Hinata half-shouted, her manic grin not faded in the least.

~ Scene Break ~

Kuushou returned to his apartment to change out of his _kimono_; the more formal clothing would not suit his needs for his next visit.

Once he was back in his regular ninja attire - his new chuunin vest over a plain black shirt and dark green pants with several large pockets, along with his various scrolls and pouches - he set out towards the Hokage's Tower. His next target was there, partially hidden behind a thick veil of chakra.

The guards at the front of the tower nodded to him as he entered, a gesture which he returned despite his brisk pace. He turned to the right immediately, taking the stairs and going up two flights before weaving his way through several hallways and coming to a stop outside a nondescript meeting room. To the naked eye there was little that set it apart from any of the dozens of other such rooms throughout the building. To a sensor, however, the walls practically thrummed with the amount of chakra flowing through numerous seals covering the walls, floor, and ceiling.

He considered simply barging into the room - Danzo had certainly made a habit of turning up inside his apartment unannounced and uninvited, after all - but that proved unnecessary as the meeting was apparently at an end.

Koharu and Homura exited first, pausing momentarily in surprise as they noticed him waiting before giving him a terse nod and continuing on their way without a word. Danzo hobbled out of the room at a slower pace, leaning heavily on his cane and moving carefully as he pulled the door shut and resealed the room.

"Yamanaka-chuunin," he said flatly once he was done.

"Shimura-san," Kuushou said, "would you care to walk with me for a while?"

Danzo inclined his head after a moment, motioning with his cane for Kuushou to lead the way. Kuushou began ambling back along the hallway, taking a path that would lead them back out of the tower.

"No doubt you have heard that I am once more on the active roster," Kuushou began.

"It has been mentioned, along with your desire to form your own team," Danzo acknowledged. "Congratulations on securing Hinata Hyuuga."

Kuushou stopped walking, sending a sharp look at Danzo as he absorbed the implied message; he'd approached Hiashi less than two hours ago - Hinata herself less than one - and already Danzo knew about it. Knew about it, and was making it a point to demonstrate that he knew about it.

"Thank you," he replied, turning to resume his slow walk. "I have some very strict standards for the people I want for my team," he continued. "I need ninja who are willing to follow my orders, of course, but also ninja who are skilled enough to not slow me down. And I think you know someone who fits those criteria very well."

Danzo kept walking, making a short grunt of acknowledgment but not replying immediately. They made their way down the stairs and out of the tower before he finally spoke.

"I'm not going to object to placing Sai on your team, of course, but there are conditions."

"Such as?"

"As one of the ninja I have groomed, he has been trusted with information and contacts that are not known to the general forces. Placing him on your team will give you limited access to those resources, but will also require him to make some detours in order to maintain that network of contacts. You will need to allow him to do so - within reason, of course."

"I can handle that," Kuushou said, nodding.

"Sai also has some unique techniques that make him well-suited to certain types of missions. In order for him to carry out those missions, he will either need to take a temporary leave from your team, or you will need to find an excuse to have the team in the area where he is needed."

Kuushou didn't reply immediately, considering that one. Losing Sai temporarily would mean that he would be limited in the types of missions he could take for the duration, possibly even to the point where he would be stuck inside the village. On the other hand, accompanying Sai to his destination would likely mean traveling to a large portion of the Elemental Nations, something that meshed with his own goals nicely.

He absently turned the corner onto the road leading to his apartment, still keeping pace with Danzo. Several ninja sent glances their way as they passed, their curiosity at the unusual duo plain to see.

"I intend to have my team specializing at least partly as hunter-nin, so it should be a simple matter to find a reason to travel wherever he needs to go," he said finally.

"Very well," Danzo said, nodding. "The last condition is that you find your third member before the 19th. There is a mission coming up that would suit both of our purposes very well, but I can only delay the assignment for so long."

"What mission is that?" Kuushou pressed.

"It's a high profile escort mission. I can persuade Sarutobi to send it your way without much trouble, since it is ideal for getting your name into circulation, but that only applies if you have a team ready."

"Six days?" Kuushou asked rhetorically. In truth he still didn't have a firm candidate in mind, and had planned to take his time working his way through the chuunin within Konoha to find someone who met his needs. Six days would not give him time to do that, but he could probably find a temporary team member in that time frame. "I'll make it work."

"Good. I'll begin pushing the mission your way, then. Was there anything else?"

"Not at this time, no."

"Then I shall leave you to your recruiting. I will inform Sai of his new assignment, and he will report to you tomorrow morning."

"Thank you for accepting my request, Shimura-san," Kuushou said politely, inclining his head to the old ninja.

"I consider it an investment, Yamanaka-chuunin," Danzo replied flatly. "Good day," he concluded before turning and heading off.

"Two down, one to go," Kuushou muttered to himself, continuing towards his apartment.

~ End Chapter ~

**A/N: As always, thanks for reading and thanks for all the reviews! Thanks again to the people at the SB forums for providing feedback and criticism for this chapter.**

**The next chapter posted will actually be STC again, as I want to get this to the end of Part 1 and put it on hiatus before shifting my focus fully to TEC.  
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	18. Pressure

Kuushou sat motionless in his living room, staring at the wall. His eyes were twitching back and forth randomly and his expression was vacant. He had been like this for over an hour now, ever since he had returned to his apartment. Despite his stillness on the outside, inside, his thoughts were churning as he relentlessly evaluated and discarded countless ninja, pondering who should be his third team member.

He had started by scanning the village and locating the largest sources of chakra, which in turn signified strong ninja who would add to the power and capability of his team. Some of those signatures he had memorized long ago, as they belonged to the Hokage, key ANBU members, or famous ninja such as Gai and Kakashi. Naturally, they were out.

Others he had not encountered directly, but were in turn eliminated due to their locations - the largest cluster were ANBU, none of which would make a suitable choice for his purposes. Others were located deep within the Hokage's Tower, or in Danzo's network of underground tunnels, or nestled within clan compounds.

When that failed to produce a likely candidate, he had turned his attention to his own memories, considering each ninja he had personally met. Some he would have preferred, like Temari, were not ninja of Konoha. Others, like Hana Inuzuka, had too much seniority in both service and physical age to make willing subordinates.

This limited his field of candidates even further, to recent graduates and freshly promoted chuunin. Neji Hyuuga, while skilled, would clash horribly with Hinata and did not bring any new benefits to the team. Lee Rock would never consider changing teams, and Tenten... Tenten was a possibility. She had shown an understated competence in Wave, and her ranged techniques were both versatile and could easily be boosted with the addition of exploding tags, something he could supply himself.

On the other hand, the odds of convincing her to leave her team within six days - four, really, considering he would need a team member _before _the deadline and he'd already spent one day acquiring the first two - were slim.

That left his own students, of which only three had really caught his attention: Hinata, Sasuke, and Sakura. Hinata he had already secured, but Sasuke and Sakura...

Sasuke had a drive that would see him reach S-rank by twenty, possibly long before that. He also had a goal that mattered more to him than his own standing in the village, a goal that he would abandon _everything _to pursue, a goal that he could exploit to his own ends.

On the other hand, that goal was killing _Itachi Uchiha_, so Sasuke's usefulness and life would both end abruptly the moment he actually found his brother. As one of Sasuke's teachers over the last few months, he had a very clear picture of his current level as well as where he would likely be over the next year or two. Being generous, by the time Sasuke was fifteen he might actually be able to defeat Itachi... as he was at age _nine. _

Kuushou allowed his thoughts to drift a moment to focus on the problem that was Itachi. In his own world, Itachi had nearly recognized his true nature at their very first meeting, though it would take him years to ultimately make that final step from "container of the Bijuu" to "the Bijuu itself." That still put him far, far ahead of the other ninja in the village, who had yet to realize what he truly was before his abrupt departure.

Itachi had come to him after he finally made that connection, revealing his knowledge and showing more curiosity than fear. They had parted ways that same night, Itachi fleeing the village that had so effectively alienated him and Kuushou remaining behind in a carefully staged scene as a "survivor" of "Itachi's madness." He would hardly count that Itachi as a friend - even ally was pushing it - but they had parted with a mutual understanding and respect that had served him well.

Which made it a shame that he could not say the same of the Itachi in this world. He didn't really believe that Itachi had massacred the Uchiha clan to "test his capacity" - though he couldn't fully discount the possibility of actual madness without meeting the ninja himself - but clearly things had gone a very different path in this world, different enough that he was forced to doubt most of what he had learned of Itachi over the years. Perhaps his treatment had been even worse here than in his own world, or perhaps...

But, focusing on his own purposes, while Sasuke's obsession with Itachi might prove a useful lever in manipulating him, it could just as easily be used by anyone else as well. Sasuke was also unlikely to have much patience with side trips and detours that did not directly benefit him or increase his power, which would create a repeated source of conflict. And, most of all, if they ever met Itachi in the field he would swiftly be down one Uchiha teammate, rendering all of his work up to that point useless.

So Sasuke was out.

That left him with Sakura, who was nearly as problematic, if for very different reasons. Her promotion to Chuunin did not suddenly boost her combat performance, which was definitely still lacking in terms of offense. Her defensive capabilities, especially with the _shukuchi_, were quite impressive but that alone would only get her so far. He could easily see her making it to S-rank as well, but she had a much longer and more arduous road to travel than Sasuke did.

In the meantime, she would bring nothing like Hinata's Byakugan or Sai's connections to Danzo and his network that made her presence on the team in and of itself useful. And, even though his spar with Sai lasted less than two minutes, that brief exchange had still shown more power, speed, and ruthlessness than Sakura had in months of training. He would give Hinata's Gentle Fist the edge over Sai in terms of combat, barring unusual abilities the boy might possess, but both stood head and shoulders above Sakura on the battlefield.

With the amount of gratitude and emotional attachment she had displayed, she was practically his for the asking if he wanted her on his team. The problem was, he wasn't sure it would be worth asking right now. If it wasn't Sakura, though, he was down to asking a random chuunin or even genin to act as temporary filler.

A slight frown marred his face as he stared at the wall.

Despite her _current _lack of power, though, she had nothing stopping her from rapidly growing stronger. Her chakra reserves were rapidly expanding and her physical regimen was starting to show definite results. Teach her a few low-cost techniques in the short term, focus on leveraging her chakra control over her growing reserves in the long term... given time, she could be very dangerous indeed. He could even recall a few of the jutsu from the Forbidden Scroll that were almost perfect for-

He snapped upright in his seat, his eyes wide.

Even though he could use human chakra now, he had mentally set aside the techniques from the Forbidden Scroll because of their complexity and the problems that would surely arise if he flaunted techniques from the stolen scroll. It was a problem he would deal with down the road, after he had resolved far more pressing concerns. But, because of that, he had almost overlooked a _perfect _opportunity.

He had just spent a month working with Sakura to recreate a technique based on nothing more than a general description of its function and his own memory of how the technique had felt when performed by someone else. Despite their amazement at the feat, not a _single person _had questioned whether Sakura was actually capable of accomplishing it. In fact, with her record from the Academy and studious nature, it was almost _expected _that she would develop her own techniques. And as the person helping her, he would naturally learn them as well...

And with her on his team, taking missions outside the village, with all the time in the world and every opportunity to sense many techniques being used by other ninja, it wouldn't be any surprise at all if some of them happened to resemble techniques from the Forbidden Scroll. As long as they weren't the _only _techniques they came up with, no one would think anything of it.

And _that _was _definitely _worth the asking.

~ Scene Break ~

His decision made, he hadn't wasted any time in tracking Sakura down and making the offer.

"I... I... wow," Sakura stuttered, eyes wide as she stared across the table at Kuushou.

"We already know we can work well together, and I think you'd be a great fit for the team I'm building," Kuushou pressed, confident and earnest.

Around them, one of the many bars that catered to ninja continued its normal routine. A table of off-duty ANBU raised their glasses in a silent toast while beside them a trio of chuunin competed to find out who had the most outrageous story. A few scattered ninja were steadily drinking the day away, staring blankly at their glasses while the crowd respectfully flowed around them. The largest crowd was gathered around a fierce contest between two jounin as they alternated using shuriken and kunai to form increasingly complex shapes on the large target area on the wall at the back of the room.

Sakura had been hesitant to use this as their impromptu meeting place, but the warm reception she had received had left her both blushing and grinning. They were still receiving quite a bit of attention, actually, but the two of them were arguably the most famous chuunin in Konoha for the moment, so that much was to be expected. Other than the occasional toast directed at himself or Sakura, they had been left alone - as alone as anyone could be in a crowded bar, at least.

Kuushou waited patiently, letting Sakura work her way through her surprise while he studied the bar around him. After several minutes, she finally responded.

"I- well, I guess first I should say congratulations on making it back on the active roster," she said, shaking herself and regaining her equilibrium.

"Thanks," Kuushou replied with a quick nod.

"And it's great that you're starting your own team, and... I'm really flattered that you want me to be part of it."

"After seeing what you accomplished before and during the exams, I'd be foolish not to," he responded.

She grinned at that, but it was a little strained. Kuushou's eyes narrowed slightly as he studied her reaction more closely; she wasn't as enthused or excited as he would have expected. In fact...

"I really, really am, but..." Sakura paused, drawing in a deep breath, "but I have to decline."

Kuushou stared at her, not saying a word, and Sakura hastened to explain.

"It's nothing against you, honest!" she rushed out, holding up her hands. "It's just, I really like where I am right now. After the exams Kakashi-sensei and I had a long talk - several long talks, actually - and I understand where he was coming from when he did what he did." She flushed, scratching her cheek as she looked away. "I was kind of... _bitchy_ to him, too," she muttered quietly.

She looked back up, frowning. "Don't get me wrong, I'm still not happy that he couldn't even bother to properly explain things before he took off, but I could have handled it better." She shook her head. "Anyway, he's been doing really awesome as an instructor since then, and he's even helping me work out different ways to use the _shukuchi _during our spars. And Sasuke-kun..."

She smiled, a prominent blush staining her cheeks. "Sasuke-kun's been paying a lot more attention to me lately, too. He's even asked to spar with me several times outside of training, and he's talking with me a lot more, too! That never happened before I got promoted! He finally sees that I'm a strong kunoichi!"

Kuushou continued to stare at her, forcing himself not to follow his first reaction... or several beyond that, lest he undo all of the work he'd put into her up to this point. Though he was swiftly starting to doubt just how effective his work had been, if she was willing to set aside everything he'd done for her in favor of her dogged pursuit of Sasuke.

Sakura looked increasingly uncomfortable at his lack of response. "S-so, that's- things are going really well for me on Kakashi-sensei's team, a-and I'm honored that you would ask me, but it doesn't feel right to leave the team now that I'm finally getting somewhere.

"Sorry," she finished quietly, her eyes dropping to the table.

Kuushou held up his hand, shaking his head. "There's no need to be sorry. That wasn't the answer I had hoped for, obviously, but you have your own dreams you are aiming for, just as I do. I can't fault you for trying to achieve them," he added with a wry grin.

Sakura visibly relaxed at his words, nodding in relief. "Thanks, Naruto," she said.

"That said," he continued, standing and placing a handful of ryo on the table to cover his portion of the bill, "I am a little disappointed in your priorities. I was really looking forward to what you could have become, in time."

Sakura frowned, looking confused and a little hurt. He turned and began walking towards the exit, not giving her a chance to reply.

"Good luck, Sakura," he called back over his shoulder as he left.

~ Scene Break ~

Kuushou began moving in the general direction of the training grounds, easily evading Sakura as she rushed out of the bar and tried to catch up with him.

He was angry, but surprisingly it was mostly at himself. He had misread this Sakura, seeing too much of the girl Ino had carefully groomed over their years in the Academy and not enough of the girl he was actually dealing with. Her obsession with Sasuke lay far more deeply rooted than he had believed, which in turn meant that he had not spent nearly enough time addressing that issue. It didn't help that he hadn't been actively trying to sway Sakura's loyalties, either, instead simply taking advantage of opportunities as they appeared.

He was also angry with Sakura, of course, but he needed to reconsider the situation before determining how he should handle her now. Even so, he hadn't been able to stop that final cutting remark, somewhat veiled though it had been. It was vague enough to be interpreted several ways, but it would need to be dealt with if he decided to continue working with her.

Kuushou's anger with Sakura grew slightly as he realized his chances of finding someone capable of filling her role as technique creator were incredibly low. All his plans for the Forbidden Scroll would need to be adjusted or even abandoned now.

He returned his attention to the world around him when he realized he had altered his path while wrapped up in his thoughts, and then smirked slightly as he recognized the chakra signature he was now moving to intercept.

Anko had finally returned to Konoha. She had three other chakra signatures walking slightly ahead of her, none of them particularly impressive and none that he recognized, from either this world or his own. His eyes scanned over the group as he turned the corner and finally caught sight of them directly.

The genin - two girls and one boy - were all dressed in dark clothing with cloaks draped over their forms, small bulges here and there hinting at pouches and packs. The clothing appeared new, if you looked past the rips, tears, stains, holes, and burn marks that covered them. The genin themselves were about in the same condition; half-covered in bandages, limping, moving stiffly and generally giving off the sense that they'd just come back from a war zone.

One of them, a short girl with straight black hair that looked like it was normally worn in a ponytail but was now both singed and ended in an uneven cut, had her left arm in a sling and tied against her torso. The other two looked as if they had managed to avoid more serious injuries, but had the same air of exhaustion. Compared to their obvious physical fatigue, their expressions were happy and excited. They all had small smiles that never wavered, and they would occasionally glance at each other or bump shoulders before grinning.

Anko herself walked behind them at a sedate pace, her arms tucked behind her head as she strolled down the road. She was trying and failing to keep a smirk off of her own face, and her whole form radiated a sense of smug satisfaction.

She spotted him approaching and waved to him. "Blondie!" she called out, causing her students to pause and look around.

"About time you got back," he greeted her, coming to a stop a few feet away from Anko. Her students stood off to the side, the other girl, this one with close-cropped blonde hair, looking at him with a stunned expression.

"Just putting my new minions through their paces," she shot back. "It looks like I'll be keeping them, so I'll do some introductions. This is Taiki Yamaguchi," she pointed to the boy who was trying to hide his evaluating gaze and doing a poor job of it, "Hanako Hisakawa," she pointed to the blonde who had recovered enough to only looked mildly shocked, "and Kokoro Hamasaki," she finished, pointing to the black-haired girl with her arm in the sling.

"Minions, this is Naruto Yamanaka."

"Yama- I thought it was Uzumaki, Sensei?" Hanako interrupted, turning a confused expression towards Anko.

"It's complicated, but he sticks with Yamanaka," she said, waving off the question. "He's the partner I've been telling you about."

"But- he's only a chuunin," Kokoro pointed out, Taiki nodding silently in agreement while Hanako flinched.

"He started out as a genin not that long ago, not that it matters. Anyway," she said, turning to Kuushou, "you found us at just the right time, Blondie! I was about to treat my minions to dango, and now you can treat me to dango to welcome me back to the village!"

Kuushou paused for a moment, considering the offer, then shrugged and nodded.

~ Scene Break ~

"So what've you been up to while I was out?" Anko asked after everyone had settled into their seats and placed their orders. Her min- students were sitting on the other side of the table, and Kokoro looked like she had fallen asleep as soon as she laid her head on the table. Taiki and Hanako were speaking quietly, trying not to disturb her. Hanako kept glancing at him for some reason, though he couldn't figure out exactly why. She wasn't blushing or trying to hide her interest, it was more... watchful, like she was waiting for him to do or say something.

"I've finally been cleared for missions again," he replied.

"So that means you've got your chakra control sharpened up?" Anko pressed.

"To a point," he said, frowning. "I've got the basic three down well enough, but it's still nothing compared to what I'm used to, especially when I'm not focusing exclusively on the technique."

"So you're saying you need some more practice," Anko said, leaning forward slightly. "I just happen to know a group of genin who could use someone to spar against."

Hanako, who was taking a long drink of water when Anko said that, inhaled sharply and started choking and coughing. Taiki started pounding her back while Kokoro awoke, slowly raising her head from the table as she looked around blearily.

It took a minute for Hanako to get her breathing back under control, and she looked wild-eyed across the table at Anko. "You're joking, right, Sensei?" she asked, her voice somewhat hoarse. It wasn't clear if that was from the water or her shock.

"Why would I be joking?" Anko asked, frowning slightly.

Hanako stared at Anko in disbelief, a slightly hysterical giggle slipping out.

"Oh," Kokoro said softly, her eyes widening as she stared at Kuushou. "_That's_ where I heard the name. The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki."

Hanako just nodded her head rapidly while Taiki shifted uncomfortably, looking away.

Anko snorted and flipped her hand dismissively. "Like he'd even need to use _that _on you guys. Even if you are my minions, you're getting _way _ahead of yourselves."

Kuushou decided to break into the conversation that point. "While it's an interesting idea, it will have to wait," he said, noting that Hanako visibly relaxed at that. "After talking with the Hokage, I've decided to form a team of my own."

"Ah, I see," Anko said, nodding sagely. "Couldn't wait to follow in my footsteps and find some minions of your own." She sniffed loudly and wiped a fake tear from her eye. "They grow up so fast," she declared dramatically. "So, who have you gotten so far?"

"Hinata Hyuuga and one of Danzo's... sponsored ninja, Sai."

The wide smirk that had begun to form as soon as he said Hinata's name faltered and vanished when he mentioned Sai.

"Naruto," she said lowly, looking at him seriously, "I don't know this Sai personally, but you need to be wary of anything to do with Danzo. Danzo is the kind of ninja who never does _anything _without standing to gain something. If he's giving up one of his own ninja, it's because he's getting something bigger in return."

Kuushou nodded in agreement. "I have no doubt that Danzo intends to profit by this; I intend to do the same," he added, grinning slyly.

"I really hope you know what you're doing, Naruto," Anko said after a moment, a hint of worry in her face. She shook herself and her previous smirk quickly returned. "So, Hinata, huh? How'd you manage to get her away from Kurenai?"

"Hiashi was easy enough to convince, since he credited me with Hinata's growth in skill. It was a done deal by the time I informed Hinata."

Anko sucked in a harsh breath. "Oh, damn. Bet Kurenai wasn't happy about that."

"That would be putting it mildly," Kuushou agreed, reaching for the plate of dango that the waitress had placed on the table. Anko smacked his hand away and pushed the plate towards her students, though she did snag one for herself.

He raised an eyebrow at Anko actively giving someone else dango, but didn't comment on it as he continued. "Hinata has too much potential to just leave her on that team, though."

"She surprised the hell out of me, that's for sure. So I guess you're aiming for Sakura next?"

Kuushou snorted. "She turned me down."

Anko sat back, looking at him with surprise. "Huh. Wouldn't have figured on that."

"Apparently, she would rather patch things up with Kakashi and spend more time with Sasuke. Or so she informed me, anyway."

Anko stared at him for several seconds, her expression incredulous. "After all that time you- _Kakashi_ I could understand, but- _more time with_- fuck!" she spat, looking disgusted. She glanced at her students, who were staring at her with wide eyes.

"Sasuke Uchiha is a good ninja as far as that goes, but the kid's fucked in the head. I thought Pinkie was finally moving past the little shit, but... _fuck!_" she cursed again, scowling darkly.

"Is everything alright, Sensei?" Hanako asked hesitantly.

Anko kept fuming for a moment before she nodded sharply. "Yeah, everything's fine. We're here for you guys anyway, so don't worry about her." Her gaze shifted to Kokoro for a moment before she grinned.

"Say, Blondie, would you mind working your magic on my minions? I was kinda hoping to start their real training tomorrow, but with their injuries, especially Kokoro, they'd need a few days to rest up."

Kuushou shrugged. "Sure," he said as he stood to move around to the other side of the table, approaching Kokoro first.

"Magic?" Kokoro asked warily, subtly shifting closer to her teammates as he approached. Hanako was sitting stiff as a board, her eyes tracking his every movement.

"Blondie here ain't just an asskicker, he's also a damn good med-nin," Anko explained. "He'll get you fixed up in no time, and we won't have to waste any time waiting for you to rest up!"

From their expressions, her minio- _students_ weren't quite sure how to feel about that.

"Hold still," Kuushou told Kokoro as he knelt next to her chair, putting his head roughly even with hers. She nodded uncertainly, watching him closely with a mixture of wariness and curiosity.

He placed both of his hands on her bandaged arm, pushing his mixed youki and chakra into her body. She had a variety of scrapes and bruises, quite a few clearly Anko's handiwork, but the most serious was definitely her arm. Her shoulder and upper arm were deeply bruised, along with torn tendons and ligaments, several small fractures, and two full breaks that had been carefully set. That didn't seem like Anko's style - she definitely went for pain rather than actual damage.

"How did you injure your arm?" he asked as he numbed the nerves in preparation for his work.

"I... I got stupid," Kokoro muttered. "I didn't check-" she started before her entire body sagged as the numbness took hold. "Oh wow," she breathed, a little stunned as she blinked rapidly. "I didn't realize how much that still hurt."

"You ok?" Taiki asked quickly.

"Better than ok," Kokoro replied, smiling.

"Told ya Blondie was good," Anko said proudly, as if she was directly responsible. "Still, you should have told me it was still that bad," she added, frowning. "We could have gone to the hospital first."

Kokoro quickly shook her head. "It wasn't, really. I guess I'd just got used to it."

Anko nodded after a moment, still frowning but also looking faintly pleased.

"I'll need to remove the bandages," Kuushou said, already forming a chakra scalpel in his left hand as Kokoro nodded. Once he had sliced through the bandages and her arm was no longer bound, he lifted it and pulled it straight to the side, fully extending it. The wariness had faded from Kokoro's face, and she was watching with open curiosity as he manipulated her limb. She even used her free hand to poke at her own arm, smirking slightly in amusement as she did so.

He released the chakra scalpel and placed his other hand on her shoulder, bracing as he pulled her arm at the wrist, twisting the bones into the proper alignment. There were several small pops and cracks emitted from her arm as he directly manipulated her bones, resetting them at the proper alignment and sealing the fractures. He focused on the muscles next, healing the damage from the inside out.

Hanako looked pale, almost ill, her dango lying forgotten on the plate in front of her. Taiki had jumped to his feet and then stopped, standing awkwardly as if he was unsure whether to jump forward or fall back into his seat.

Kokoro herself, who hadn't felt a single thing during the entire procedure, blinked several times before declaring, "That was _cool_." She raised her still mostly numb arm, flexing her fingers and watching them twitch about.

"Done," Kuushou announced as he moved to stand next to Hanako. Taiki slowly settled back into his seat, glancing between Kuushou and Kokoro and watching as Kokoro twisted her arm, a small smile on her face.

Kuushou focused on his next patient, settling his hand on Hanako's shoulder and quickly scanning her for injuries. He frowned when he noted that her heart was hammering in her chest and her entire body was trembling even as she fought to hide that fact with everything she had. He recognized her reactions for what they were, now.

She was _scared _of him.

He glanced up at Anko to see her watching Hanako with a faint tinge of sadness before she returned his gaze and shook her head slightly. He healed up her relatively minor injuries and quickly moved on to Taiki, who accepted the treatment stoically, most of his focus on his teammates. Kuushou noticed that the boy seemed unable to look him in the eye, though he had no idea why.

When he was done healing them, he returned to his seat and picked up a stick of dango.

"Thank you," Kokoro told him, bowing slightly while her two teammates followed her lead.

"Don't worry about it," he told her, waving off her objection and swiping one of Anko's dango as she was looking the other way. He then glanced down to find his entire plate missing and Anko smirking at him.

Later, as everyone had finished eating and Anko's team was saying their goodbyes before they headed back to their homes for the evening, Anko pulled him aside.

"Have you completely given up on Sakura?" she asked quietly.

Kuushou shook his head. "I'd still prefer to have her on my team, if at all possible, but given her reasons I don't see her leaving Team Kakashi," he replied, wondering where she was going with this.

"Good," Anko said, nodding sharply. "Just... let me talk to Sakura before you make any decisions. If she chose to stick with Kakashi because of _Kakashi_ that would be one thing, but..." Her expression twisted. "If she's truly doing this to get closer to the Uchiha..."

"Why does it bother you so much?" Kuushou asked. He hadn't expected this sort of reaction from Anko, hadn't expected her to care much about Sakura at all, really.

"I didn't think much of her at first, but she proved she had what it takes to be a real kunoichi when she faced off against Gaara. And, even if she did have your help, she basically took the _idea _of a technique and over the course of a month turned it into something that let her stand against a jinchuuriki and survive. If she can keep doing that..." she shook her head wryly.

"Most ninja stall out at B-rank, and the really good ones make it to A-rank. After what I saw, I think she has the kind of raw talent that it takes to make it to S-rank. I didn't think she had it in her anymore than Kakashi or anyone else did, but now that I know she does, I'll be damned if I let her squander that because of an idiotic crush."

Kuushou nodded slowly, the vague beginnings of a plan taking root in his mind. He had already decided that Sasuke was the real reason Sakura had turned him down; she might be getting along with Kakashi now, but there was also lingering resentment as well. If Anko, a powerful and respected kunoichi who Sakura had spent at least a little time with, challenged her focus on Sasuke... that alone would likely not be enough, but it would at the very least create an opening.

"I won't make any decisions yet, but I do have a deadline in six days. There's a mission lined up for my team already, something that would be a good first mission for us. I intend to take that mission, with or without her."

Anko looked curious, but nodded without pressing for details. "I mostly just want to make sure she has her head on straight, but I'll try to track her down tomorrow."

With that, she moved off to join her minions, and Kuushou turned towards his apartment.

Even if there was an opening, however, he still needed to figure out how to take advantage of it.

~ Scene Break ~

Kuushou was pacing around his living room, rapidly conjuring up plans and discarding them just as quickly as he attacked the problem from different angles.

It was clear that Sakura wasn't going to change her mind easily, and that whatever goodwill he had built up was not going to be enough. Short of outright forcing her to join his team or convincing the Hokage to order her to change teams, there was little he could do directly to resolve the issue. He could imagine a few scenarios where he could pull one of those off, but that would wipe out a lot of his work with Sakura and lead to resentment, which would remove the primary reason he wanted her on his team on the first place.

No, he needed her to join his team willingly. And despite what he had learned of Sakura and the opportunity Anko was unwittingly going to create for him, he was failing to come up with any plan to accomplish that goal.

Once again, he wished Ino was here. She knew Sakura better than anyone, and her insights into Sakura's personality and mind, not to mention her natural talent and extensive training for understanding other people, would be invaluable for forming a new plan.

Then again, if Ino knew Sakura better than anyone, he knew Ino better than anyone. What _would_ Ino do?

_"Ha! I'm amazed you made it this far without me, little brother. Well, don't worry, as your sister I'll help you out this time."_

He snorted to himself in amusement. While she would definitely say something like that, that wasn't exactly what he needed. Thoughts of her one-sided rivalry with Shizune to prove she was a better "sister" did trigger a memory though...

_Ino paced around the backyard of the Yamanaka home, her shoulder-length hair hanging loose and trailing behind her as she moved and turned. As she spoke, she gestured wildly with her hands, trying to emphasize certain phrases and words._

_"So Dad said you had to think really hard about the way someone was acting, and what they said, and the things they paid attention to. Like, if someone always asked about how much a mission paid first, and they were constantly checking to make sure their money pouch was still with them, and they always studied prices in the market _really _carefully, that'd mean they cared a lot about money, right?" she asked, stopping and turning to stare at him._

_"Right," Kuushou nodded, hiding his amusement as he listened to Ino's interpretation of Inoichi's latest lecture. _

_"Ha! Maybe not!" Ino shot back triumphantly. "See, what they really care about is- damn, wait," she muttered, frowning. She fell silent for a bit, shaking her head and muttering under her breath, before she nodded decisively and looked back up at him. _

_"Maybe not!" she began again, using the same triumphant tone she had used before. "See, just because that's what they're focused on doesn't mean that's all there is to it. It could just be a habit, how they were raised or a remnant of a different time in their lives. But what if they're worried about money because they are planning something big in the future? What if they have someone they care about who is sick and they are trying to make ends meet? What if they have gambled all of their money away and are deep in debt?_

_"So the actions you see don't tell the whole story, or even half the story. There's always something underneath the surface that gives an entirely different meaning to what you observed."_

_Kuushou nodded solemnly, deciding not to point out that he could tell at least half of that was a direct quote from Inoichi._

_"Observing someone's actions is _easy_, anyone can do that. Understanding what truly drives someone requires a lot of time and effort to study their circumstances, their history, their hopes and fears, their interactions with their friends and enemies, everything. You could spend months or even years doing nothing but that and still miss some vital component that makes a person who they are._

_"Or you could just peer directly into their mind," she added, smirking. "That's something only a Yamanaka could do!"_

_Kuushou grinned in return, causing Ino to beam at him for a moment before she calmed and continued. _

_"And sometimes, what people are focused on, what they _think _they are worried about, isn't actually what's driving them at all..."_

Kuushou paused, thinking over that memory again. There was a reason that came to mind now, when he was trying to find a way to convince Sakura. The examples Ino had used at the time didn't apply to his current problem, but the principle just might.

Assuming that was the case, what did Sakura _think _she wanted?

That was easy enough to answer; she had told him directly only a few hours ago. She wanted to reconcile with Kakashi, and she wanted to grow closer to Sasuke.

So then what did Sakura _actually _want?

Sasuke... would be his first answer, but his own mind was telling him otherwise. He had ignored his own instincts about the Summons and the demon sealed within Gaara; he wasn't about to make that mistake again.

So if it wasn't Sasuke, what was it?

Another memory rose to his mind, and he saw Sakura's face filled with anger and frustration.

_"I think I've tried too fucking hard for too fucking long and put up with too much _fuckingbullshit_ to just quit, _Shannaro_!" Sakura snarled, stepping forward and getting face-to-face with him. "I don't care who he is or what he can do! He's just a kid like me, and I. Am. Not. Weak!"_

Yes, there was that, wasn't there? Her decision to fight Gaara, even against Kakashi's advice, had nothing to do with Sasuke. It had been at least a week before his name even came up during their training, and he was the one to do it.

And that did add some weight to his thoughts that Sakura was really driven by something else. Sakura during that time had reminded him a great deal of the Sakura of his own world, the one who had been groomed and molded by Ino. That Sakura had been obsessed with Sasuke as well, but Ino had broken her of that... problem...

But that didn't happen here.

Another memory rose, this one from just after he had found himself in this familiar yet utterly bizarre world.

_Sakura's face quickly brightened as she pushed Ino forward. "He's looking for you, Ino-pig! You two can talk while I go sit with Sasuke-kun!"_

_Sakura began to step around him, already beginning to ignore him as she focused on Sasuke, but Ino reached out and grabbed her hair, yanking her backwards. "Not so fast, Forehead! I don't know what you promised him to get him to do this, but I'm not falling for it!"_

Kuushou's frown slowly began morphing into a grin as his mind started making the connections.

She liked Sasuke, of course, but she also admired Ino, and if Ino obsessed over Sasuke just like she did, then those two elements would feed off one another. Ino liked Sasuke just as she did, giving them more in common. Her friends liked Sasuke, so she must be right to like him as well...

But somewhere along the line, Sasuke had become a point of contention rather than agreement... and Sakura had chosen Sasuke over Ino. He remembered the picture at the Yamanaka's house that showed Ino and Sakura as children, their arms around each others shoulders and wide smiles on their faces. They weren't nearly that close now, and Sasuke was demonstrably still a source of tension between the two of them.

And then, once she had given up one important thing in her pursuit of Sasuke, it artificially inflated his value. She had sacrificed her close friendship with Ino, but in her mind Sasuke was worth it. No, for her he _had _to be worth it, or else what had she made the sacrifice for?

And that's what he was really up against. Who knows how many opportunities and chances Sakura had ignored or abandoned trying to catch Sasuke's attention. If he was going to break that cycle, he needed to convince her that either she will never get Sasuke, or that Sasuke wasn't worth having.

The first... was effectively impossible, at this point. He'd have to kill Sasuke or break Sakura's self-confidence entirely, and the latter would make her useless for his purposes. The former... well, it's unlikely he could get away with it, and it's not like Sasuke was completely useless to him.

Convince her that Sasuke isn't worth having, though, that... that he might be able to do.

After all, what Sakura truly sought, what she yearned for in the depths of her mind, wasn't Sasuke himself, no... but rather what Sasuke had come to represent for her.

_"He finally sees that I'm a strong kunoichi!"_

And with that, he had his plan.

~ Scene Break ~

Kuushou heard the knock upon his door promptly at eight the next morning, not at all surprised to find that a ninja trained by Danzo would be so exactingly punctual.

He opened the door to find the pale boy waiting on the other side. Sai wore the same type of clothing now as he had every time they had met, a zippered vest that covered the upper half of his chest, a similarly short jacket with uneven sleeves, and pants cinched at the waist, all in shades of black or gray. The hilt of his _tanto_ stuck up over his right shoulder, and he had a pack attached to his waist and a pouch tied to his leg.

Sai looked at him and smiled, the expression one of the most fake Kuushou had ever witnessed.

"Good morning, Naruto-senpai," Sai said, bowing slightly. "Danzo-sama has informed me that I will be joining your team from now on. I look forward to working with you." The tone sounded like it was _meant _to be cheerful and friendly, but it completely lacked any genuine emotion.

"Likewise," Kuushou replied, nodding in reply as he stepped outside and pulled the door shut behind him. It occurred to him that this was the first time he had actually heard Sai speak. Given what he had seen so far, if this was indicative of the other ninja under Danzo's "sponsorship", it was no mystery why so many ninja in Konoha disliked his methods.

"How much did Shimura-san tell you?" he asked, setting his thoughts aside.

Sai's gaze flicked to the side as the security seals Kuushou had layered on his apartment flared to life, but otherwise did not react as he fell into step.

"That you are aware that I will occasionally receive missions which require a temporary absence from the team, and that you are willing to work with me when they arise," the boy replied. His smile had faded and his tone gained a slightly clipped quality as he spoke. "In exchange you will be granted limited assistance from assets in the field, to the extent that such assistance does not interfere with primary objectives."

"Anything else?" Kuushou prompted as they reached the stairwell at the end of the hall.

"I am to learn as much as I can from this assignment, especially from a combat perspective. Danzo-sama believes that I will gain much experience under your command."

"Does he?" Kuushou replied vaguely, watching Sai from the corner of his eye. The boy's expression never shifted and his tone never wavered.

"Yes. Your service record to date suggests a high propensity towards lethal violence and your close relationship with Anko Mitarashi implies a sadistic mindset, making conflict with enemy forces a certainty."

Kuushou stopped, turning to face Sai fully as he stared, uncertain he had correctly heard that. "What?"

Sai looked back at him, blinking once as a flash of uncertainty passed over his face. "Should I not have mentioned that? You already have more kills to your name than most chuunin; three hundred forty four, if you include non-ninja hostiles. I was most impressed."

He plastered that fake smile on his face again, nodding slightly.

After several seconds of trying and failing to come up with a response, or even grasp what Sai was trying to accomplish by saying that, Kuushou turned on his heel and continued walking.

Sai was perfectly willing to remain silent, so they spoke no further until they reached the training ground where Kuushou had told Hinata to meet them.

Unsurprisingly, she was already present, standing nervously next to a set of training posts. Her face lit up when they entered the training ground, and a small smile seemed permanently etched on her face.

"G-good morning, Naruto-kun," she said, bowing slightly. "Thank you again for letting me join your team!"

"Let isn't the word I would use," Kuushou countered as they reached her. "You were my first choice, after all."

Hinata didn't have a reply to that, and so just smiled more widely as she blushed.

"This is Sai, one of our other teammates," Kuushou said, motioning to the dark-haired boy at his side.

"I look forward to working with you," Hinata offered politely, nodding her head in his direction.

"I had heard that Naruto-senpai had chosen you for his team," Sai replied, that completely fake smile on his face again, "so I suppose it's true that you aren't as useless as you used to be."

He continued to smile at them as they both stared.

~ Scene Break ~

It took another two days for circumstances to properly align.

The greatest obstacle to his plan for Sakura - aside from Sakura herself - was Kakashi. The jounin was sure to interfere and smooth things over before they reached the point Kuushou needed them to, so he had to make his move while Kakashi was distracted or, better yet, out of the village entirely. While he didn't know the details or duration of Kakashi's latest mission, he did sense the Copy Ninja leaving the village an hour past midnight, accompanied by two signatures he recognized as ANBU. He wouldn't be around to run interference between Sakura and Sasuke today, and that was enough.

Kuushou had also successfully avoided interacting with Sakura directly, leaving her to stew on their last conversation. He had made a point to let her catch sight of him, however, vanishing around a corner or entering a shop only to disappear. He'd had to move quickly on occasion, especially when she went so far as to use the _shukuchi _to try and catch up with him, but he'd managed it.

Anko also told him that she had a long talk with Sakura about what it meant to be a ninja and a kunoichi, and that she should make sure she understood what she was doing and why. She insisted that Sakura was at least thinking things over again, but hadn't been able to promise more than that.

The final piece was Sasuke. He'd started by showing up late to their latest training session, only to tell Sasuke that he'd have to reschedule to tomorrow before immediately leaving again. He'd done exactly the same thing the next day, again without any explanation.

The morning after he felt Kakashi leaving the village on a mission, he'd sent messages to both Sasuke and Sakura, asking for a meeting. He promised Sasuke that he would explain why he'd been so busy the last few days, and told Sakura he wanted to talk to her again and apologize for his remarks at their last meeting. Sasuke would be meeting him at the ramen stand at noon, and Sakura at the training ground where they had developed the _shukuchi _thirty minutes later.

All he had to do now was push the right buttons, then step back and watch.

Kuushou tipped back his ramen bowl, draining the last of the ramen broth as Sasuke entered the stand and settled onto a stool beside him. A glance out of the corner of his eye showed Sasuke barely controlling his irritation and frustration, swallowing whatever he wanted to say in favor of the coming explanation.

Time to add some fuel to the fire.

"Thanks for meeting me," Kuushou said to Sasuke, placing down his bowl and shooting a quick smile at Ayame.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted in response, his jaw clenching slightly.

"I apologize about the last couple of days. I've been really busy with some new responsibilities and I'm coming up against a deadline. That's no excuse, really, but that's what I've got."

Sasuke stared at him for a moment before nodding jerkily. "It's fine," he managed to say, even if he clearly didn't mean it.

"That new responsibility is pulling together my own team," Kuushou continued. "Now that I'm allowed back in the field, I've decided I want to take more of a leading role on missions. I've spent the last several days recruiting, picking out the people I think would work best on my team."

Some of the irritation had faded from Sasuke's face as his eyes widened slightly. As Kuushou continued to speak, an interested, calculating expression grew.

"I've already managed to secure Hinata Hyuuga. She was my first choice, honestly. I've been working with her for months now and she's already grown in leaps and bounds." Kuushou pretended not to notice the flush creeping along Sasuke's cheeks as he praised the girl who had ended up defeating the Uchiha in the Chuunin Exams. "For all that she's already accomplished, though, it's what she could become in the future that I look forward to seeing most. The negotiation with the Hyuuga Clan was tough as well; For all that Hiashi Hyuuga acts cold and distant, he definitely cares for his daughter. It took some work to secure her for my team, but it was absolutely worth it.

"Then there's Sai. I doubt you've met him - he was taken under the wing of one of the Elders of Konoha, Danzo, and trained by him directly from a very young age. He's an incredibly skilled ninja, good enough for ANBU even as young as he is. Getting Danzo to agree to his placement on my team took quite a bit of work as well, and cost me several favors. Even then, I think Danzo only agreed to it because he sees the potential of the group I'm trying to put together."

He was laying it on a little thick - not to mention _generously interpreting_ the way things actually happened - but Sasuke was eating it up. He could see the anticipation building in the Uchiha's black eyes, the rapid calculations being performed in his head. He was certain Sasuke was convinced he was about to be invited to join the team as well, and already he was weighing his options.

Should he stick with Kakashi, who can teach him more about the Sharingan and was one of the strongest ninja in the village? Should he join this new team, one apparently filled to the brim with up and coming prodigies, a team that could become the next generation's answer to the Sannin? Could he work with Hinata, or was this perhaps his chance to prove that Hinata's victory was just a fluke? Would he learn more from Kakashi or fighting on his own?

Which path would make him stronger?

Kuushou placed some money on the counter, enough to cover his meal and a generous tip besides, and stood. "Thanks for the meal, Ayame-nee-chan!" he called out, shooting the waitress another smile before motioning for Sasuke to follow him.

They began walking along the streets of Konoha, moving at a leisurely pace towards the training grounds. Sakura was already waiting for him; she was over ten minutes early and pacing back and forth in a tight loop. Kuushou stifled a smile as he felt the pieces snapping into place one by one.

"My third recruit is proving to be even more complicated than the first two, however," Kuushou said, glancing over at Sasuke. The genin met his gaze, curiosity and eagerness shining clearly.

"Their jounin instructor would fight me tooth and nail to keep them, not to mention that I've managed to piss that instructor off for other reasons already. I've seen their potential, though, and I truly believe that they would flourish on my team and reach heights they never will on their current team.

"I know we would work well together, they would bring unique benefits to the team, and they would follow my lead when it really matters. Really, I'll do whatever it takes to make sure I get them on my team, as long as they want to be there. Ultimately, the decision lies with the recruit."

The walked in silence for a bit, getting closer and closer to the training ground and the pink-haired chuunin still pacing within. Kuushou let Sasuke's thoughts continue down their mistaken path, knowing that he was seriously considering the offer he _thought _was about to come. When they finally reached the small gate in the fence that served as the boundary marker for the training ground, Kuushou turned to Sasuke once again.

"Which is why I have a favor to ask of you," he announced, making Sasuke's eyes widen once more. "Sakura has already turned me down once, and though I've prepared as best I could for this next meeting, she may do it again. If she does, I'd really appreciate it if you would talk with her as well and try to convince her of the benefits."

Sasuke's expression had frozen, and Kuushou could practically hear his thoughts and assumptions crashing into one another as his brain ground to a halt. His mouth opened slightly as a question tried to force its way out of his throat, but Kuushou spoke over him before he could ask.

"You saw how well she did in the finals, and you and I both know that she didn't become that strong because of Team Kakashi. She's already made it to chuunin, and the Hokage himself has expressed an interest in the_ shukuchi. _She needs to take the next step and strike out on her own, or all of her progress is going to go to waste."

Kuushou reached out and clapped Sasuke on the shoulder. "Hopefully none of this will be necessary, but I think if you tried to convince her as well, that might just be the push she needs." He turned and moved towards the gate, then paused. "Oh, I forgot to tell you earlier. Since I'm leading my own team now, the training sessions are officially ending. All of my students have met the goals the Hokage set for me anyway. I might have more time later, but the next few months will be focused on my team and our missions.

"Anyway, wish me luck!" he called out.

Before he could take another step, someone appeared in front of him in a swirl of leaves, kneeling with their head bowed and one fist placed on the ground.

"Naruto-senpai, I have been ordered to bring you to an urgent meeting. Please come with me at once," Sai said in a dull monotone. His eyes flicked over to Sasuke for a moment before dismissing him and moving back to Kuushou.

"Sai?" Kuushou asked. "I was just about to meet with Sakura. Now isn't the best-"

"Apologies, Naruto-senpai, but it was made clear that you needed to come with me at once."

"Dammit," Kuushou muttered under his breath before turning to Sasuke, whose face was turning a very nasty shade of red. "Sasuke, Sakura is waiting inside the training ground. Can you tell her that I will be back as soon as possible and to wait for me? I _need _to talk with her. She-"

"Naruto-senpai, we need to go now," Sai interrupted.

"Tell her I _will _talk to her," Kuushou told Sasuke insistently before nodding to Sai. They both left in a shunshin, coming to a stop a few seconds later on a rooftop some distance away.

Kuushou focused on Sasuke's signature, which was still standing in the same place. He had yet to make a move in either direction, either to leave altogether or to confront Sakura.

This was the key moment of his entire plan. If Sasuke walked away now, then his odds of convincing Sakura to join his team before the deadline was up were pretty much zero. If Sasuke confronted her, if he vented all of his simmering anger and frustration on her - that he'd lost the exams, that Sakura was promoted and he wasn't, that others were growing so much stronger while he still struggled, and everything Kuushou had just dumped on him - then Sakura just might come to him on her own.

"Was that satisfactory, Naruto-senpai?" Sai asked, moving to stand beside him and watching him with that same fake smile.

Sasuke finally moved, crossing over the fence and entering the training ground.

"That was just what I wanted," Kuushou replied, grinning widely.

~ Scene Break ~

Kuushou let Sakura sit for nearly half an hour after Sasuke had left before he entered the training ground, arriving in a shunshin only a few feet away from her. She was pacing about angrily, but immediately whirled on him when he did so, a kunai appeared in one of her hands. She barely stopped herself from throwing it at him, instead bringing it back down to her side.

Sakura's face was slightly blotchy, a slight redness around her eyes showing that she had been crying. Her attitude wasn't depressed or upset, however, but rather angry and determined.

"I'm sorry I'm late. Did Sasuke tell you-"

"_Do not_," Sakura spat, her hand clenching around the kunai tightly, "mention that... that... that _asshole, Shannaro_!"

"... What happened?" he asked, blinking in surprise.

"_Apparently_ I'm wasting the oh-so-valuable time of _better _ninja," she growled. "_Apparently _I didn't really deserve my promotion to chuunin. _Apparently _my _stupid technique _is worthless to a _real _ninja. Did _he _go out there and face that monster? No, he'd already _lost_!"

"I see," Kuushou said slowly, a small, disappointed frown on his face.

Sakura continued ranting without so much as glancing at him. "He got a whole month of training with Kakashi-sensei, so _where _does he get off saying that he's wasting time helping me work on the _shukuchi_, huh? He's just jealous 'cause he can't do it himself! I even tried to teach him! Gave him pointers! It wasn't useless then, was it?" she ranted, pacing back and forth again.

She suddenly whirled, and Kuushou's eyebrows shot up when he felt her activating the _shukuchi _and shifting all of the chakra to her fingertips. There was a loud _crack_, then the sound of shattering wood. Kuushou turned to look at where the kunai had gone and found a tree with a large section on the side of its chunk shattered, splinters of wood and bark spinning through the air around it. The kunai itself was buried up to the ring in a tree further down.

"How's _that _for useless, huh?" she shouted, panting harshly. Kuushou remained silent, letting some of the anger drain before he drew her attention again.

Sakura abruptly whirled again, stomping over to him with a sharp scowl etched on her face.

"Yes," she snapped, glaring at him as if daring him to disagree.

"... Yes?"

"You're here to ask me to join your team again, right? Yes, I'll join," she said, calming slightly.

Kuushou didn't reply immediately, instead meeting Sakura's stare with his own. After a few seconds, he said, "I'd be glad to have you on the team, of course, but only if you are actually committed. If you change your mind and go back to Team Kakashi, I won't be asking again."

Sakura met his gaze solemnly as she nodded sharply. "I won't," she told him. "I'd already been thinking about why I was really staying on the team, and..." Her expression grew strained, but her eyes were clear and determined. "I need to prove that the Chuunin Exams weren't just a fluke, and I can't do that where I am now."

"Then welcome to the team."

~ Scene Break ~

Hinata and Sai were both waiting in the training ground when he arrived the next morning with Sakura in tow. Hinata was deeply focused on a chakra string exercise, juggling four kunai at once, while Sai was seated on a small tree stump a short distance away, sketching something in a notebook.

"Good morning, Naruto-senpai," Sai called out across the clearing, snapping his notebook shut as his smile slid into place. "Is this our third teammate?"

Hinata looked up, a wide smile on her face as she began to call out her greeting. "Good mo-" she started, but abruptly froze when she caught sight of Sakura. She immediately lost control of the chakra strings, the kunai flying off in all directions. One whipped past Sakura with only inches to spare, landing in the tree behind her with a dull thunk.

Sakura yelped and jumped sideways, staring wide-eyed at the kunai that had almost hit her before looking back at Hinata.

"My apologies, Haruno-san," Hinata called out as she rose to her feet and began walking over. "I was just... _surprised _to see you, and I'm afraid I lost control." She inclined her head in apology as she stopped a few feet away, then turned to Kuushou. "Hello, Naruto-kun," she greeted, getting a smile and a nod in reply.

"No worries," Sakura said, laughing slightly nervously as she waved off the apology. "So you're on the team? That's great!" she said, recovering and smiling brightly. "You were really impressive during the Chuunin Exams."

"Thank you," Hinata replied politely. "I was also impressed with your performance as well."

Kuushou stepped in at that point, motioning to the silent ninja standing nearby with his unwavering smile. "And this is Sai. I don't believe you've met before."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Sakura said, turning to Sai and smiling. "I look forward to working with you!"

"I was also very impressed with how you didn't die immediately facing the Suna jinchuuriki."

Sakura's smile grew strained, and her jaw clenched as she bit out, "_Thanks_."

Sai turned to Kuushou next. "Senpai, I don't understand what role she will play on the team. Is she going to act as bait?"

Sakura's head snapped back as if she'd been slapped, and then she leapt forward, yelling, "I'll show you _bait, Shannaro!_"

Sai smoothly evaded her wild punch, his hand drifting to the hilt of his _tanto_ automatically before he stopped himself. He instead began evading, moving in easy circles, that same smile still plastered on his face.

"I can see why you chose to immediately run during the exams," Sai commented, twisting out of the way of Sakura's kick. "Your physical skills are-"

Kuushou's eyes sharpened when he felt Sakura using the _shukuchi _again, only this time it was all focused on a single leg. One moment she was balanced on her left leg, the right leg extended in the kick Sai had just evaded, and the next her left knee was smashing into Sai's ribs. Sai's commentary was abruptly cut off as the air left his lungs and he stumbled back a step, his hand clenched around the hilt of his _tanto _firmly.

Kuushou had to admit he was impressed, and all the more certain that he had made the right choice in recruiting Sakura. That made _two _variations of the _shukuchi_ now, both developed since the Chuunin Exams. Even accounting for Kakashi's assistance, Sakura still had to put in the work to actually learn and utilize them.

He glanced over at Hinata, who was studying Sakura intently with a small frown etched on her face, before stepping forward.

"That's enough!" he barked. Sai immediately leapt back and snapped into a rigid posture before remaining still. Sakura didn't pursue him, instead recovering from her attack and failing to hide a wince as she placed weight on her left leg.

Kuushou made note of that before walking over to Sai. "Alright, that's three times now. _Why_ are you provoking us? We're supposed to be working together as a team."

Sai's smile disappeared as he adopted a neutral expression once more, though there was another brief flash of uncertainty as he did so.

"I was attempting to compliment her. Is it not standard practice to praise others when they exceed expectations?"

"And that 'useless' comment?" Hinata asked pointedly. Sakura's head swiveled back and forth as she followed the conversation, her confusion clear.

"Your skills have grown considerably since you graduated from the Academy," Sai replied. "That Naruto-senpai chose you for his team indicates that he anticipates further growth."

"Wait, you honestly thought that was a _compliment_?" Sakura asked in disbelief. "What the hell was that about bait, then?"

"My current knowledge of your abilities is insufficient. I was attempting to acquire further information as to the reason behind your recruitment."

"You... _really _need to work on that," Sakura said finally, her shoulders slumping as she let go of the last of her anger.

"I am trying," Sai replied, his smile snapping back into place. Sakura actually looked faintly disturbed at the expression. "Thank you for the advice, ugly."

Sakura blinked once before she leapt towards him again, fist lashing out. "That was just bullshit, wasn't it, _shannaro_! I'm not falling for that again!"

Kuushou watched as Sakura chased after Sai again, noting that the pale ninja was watching her movements much more carefully this time. He looked over as Hinata stepped up beside him and giggled softly.

"I think I like him after all," she said.

~ Scene Break ~

Two days later, Kuushou strolled into the mission room with his team in tow. Hinata was walking to his left, small smile still etched on her face, while Sai and Sakura trailed slightly behind them.

"So it's an escort mission, huh?" Sakura asked. "What's so special about that?"

"This will be my first mission escorting a civilian," Sai noted, smiling. "I am very excited to have this opportunity."

"... Sai?" Sakura said slowly.

"Yes?"

"_Never_ say that again. And is this really your first escort mission?"

"For a civilian, yes. I was often tasked with operating as Danzo-sama's bodyguard, but a typical threat in his case would be a skilled assassin or large number of enemies. I will rely on your expertise in defending less important individuals."

"... Why don't you come over here and say-"

"Team Naruto, reporting for our assignment," Kuushou told the ninja working the desk, cutting off Sakura's rant before it could get started.

The ninja glanced up at them, his eyes widening slightly as he took in Kuushou's form, before he recovered his professional demeanor. "Right on time, Naruto-san," the ninja told him. "The client is waiting in room four for you," he continued, handing over a scroll tightly bound with red string.

Kuushou took it with a nod and turned to head towards the indicated room. He broke the string and unfurled the scroll with a snap, scanning through the text quickly before handing it over to Hinata. Sakura moved closer to look over Hinata's shoulder even as they reached the door of the room where the client waited. Kuushou had to focus to pick up the faint chakra signature the figure emitted; it wasn't due to great skill in suppressing it, however, but due to the fact that the client was a civilian.

"No _way_," Sakura breathed out as she read the scroll over Hinata's shoulder.

Kuushou paused before he pushed open the door, turning to Sai. "Sai? No talking. At all," he ordered. He waited for Sai's smiling assent before entering the room.

Inside was seated an older man with short, graying hair and a neatly trimmed beard. His clothing was simple, but well-made and fit his frame well, revealing that he was physically fit. He had a polite smile on his weathered face and adjusted his glasses slightly as he rose to his feet.

"Good morning, honored ninja. I am Sandayu, personal manager of Yukie Fujikaze. Are you the team who has accepted our mission request?"

"We are," Kuushou said, returning the client's smile.

Sandayu's gaze drifted over the team, skimming over Sakura and Sai and lingering a moment on Hinata's pale eyes before finally coming to a rest on Kuushou.

"I have heard a great deal about you, Naruto... Yamanaka, I believe it was?" At Kuushou's nod, he continued, "Everyone will be greatly relieved to know that a ninja of your strength is protecting us." He bowed deeply, and his smile was a little wider and more genuine when he rose, once more fixing his gaze on Kuushou.

"I look forward to working with you."

~ End Part I - Displaced ~

**A/N: As always, thanks for reading and thanks for all the reviews!**

**With the conclusion of Part 1, STC will be on hiatus. My focus will be on completing The Empty Cage (or at least getting it much further along). With everything else I've got going on, I don't have the time to keep three fanfics regularly updated. ... Not that I kept a regular schedule that well anyway. :)**

**Also, since this is the last chapter that will use this particular naming system, any guesses as to what it was? I can't remember if anyone guessed/noticed prior to this.**


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